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Agriculture plays a vital role in India's economy. 54.6% of the total workforce is engaged in agriculture and allied sector activities (Census2011). Agriculture and Allied sector accounts for18.4 % of India's GVA at current prices during 2022-23. Given the importance of the agriculture sector, Government of India has taken several steps for its development in a sustainable manner.

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is one of the two constituent Departments of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. This Department is headed by Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister and is assisted by two Ministers of State. The Secretary (A&FW)is the administrative head of the Department. The Secretary is assisted by five Additional Secretaries including one Financial Adviser, 10 Joint Secretaries, one Agriculture Commissioner, Horticulture Commissioner, Sr. Economic Advisor, Horticulture Statistics Advisor, Advisor cost and Deputy Director General. In addition, Chairman of Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP) advises Department on pricing policies for selected agricultural crops.

The DA&FW is organized into 28 divisions and has five attached offices and twenty-one subordinate offices which are spread across the country for coordination with state level agencies and implementation of Central Sector Schemes in their respective fields. Further, one Public Sector Undertaking, seven autonomous bodies, and two authorities are functioning under the administrative control of Department.

Land Use Statistics

As per land use statistics for 2021-22, the geographical area of our country is 328.7 million hectares, of which around 54.8% is agricultural land, 141.00 million hectares is the reported net sown area and 219.158million hectares is the gross cropped area with a cropping intensity of 155.4%. Net area sown comprises of 42.8% of the total geographical area. At all India level, total cropped area has increased by 66.1 percent in 2021-22 as compared to 1950-51 (131.89 million hectares in 1950-51 to 219.15 million hectares in 2021-22). The net irrigated area during 2021-22was 77.9millionhectare, out of which 24.7% was accounted by canal source ofirrigation, 2.8 % by tanks, 47.3 % by Tube wells, 13.2 % by other wells and remaining 12.0 % is irrigated by other source of irrigation. The gross irrigated area in 2021-22 was estimated at 120.3 million hectare, which was 54.9 % of the gross cropped area.

Gross Value Added of Agriculture & Allied Sector

As per the Provisional Estimates of National Income, 2022-23, released by National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, the agriculture and allied sectors contributed approximately 18.4 % of India's Gross Value Added, (GVA) at current prices during 2022-23.The absolute Gross Value Added of agriculture and allied sectors and its share in total GVA of the country at current prices during the last6years is as follows:

Gross Value Added of Agriculture & Allied Sector (Rs. In Crore)
Items Years
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20* 2020-21# 2021-22@ 2022-23$
GVA of Agriculture and Allied sectors 28,29,826 30,29,925 33,68,471 36,95,412 40,66,649 45,57,599
GVA share of 18.3 17.6 18.3 20.3 19.0 18.4
Agriculture and Allied sector (%)            

Source: National Statistical Office, MoSPI

*Third Revised Estimates, #Second Revised Estimates @First Revised Estimates $Provisional Estimate as on 31st May 2023