Why this book?
Indian agriculture is unique in many ways. With abundant arable land, water and biodiversity and a large population accustomed to agriculture as a way of life, no country is better placed than India in bringing about agriculture-led prosperity. It won’t be long before developed countries in Asia look to India for their food supplies. This would indeed look a wishful thinking, with farmers and farming being increasingly identified with poverty. What agriculture needs today is the leadership and management inputs that made corporate India compete at the global level.
This book places farmer at the centre. It advocates introduction of critical management inputs in creating win-win networks with and among farmers. Agriculture has to become agribusiness embracing the entire value chain – from farm to the plate and fiber to fashion. Business becomes developmental when it is ethical, efficient and non-exploitative a concept dear to Gandhiji. Indian farmer is at the wrong end of the supply chain for agricultural commodities and the consumer goods.
Agribusiness can realize its full potential by applying the principles of supply chain management (SCM) – collaboration among various stake holders, non-exploitative vertical and horizontal integration, market reforms, precision farming, contract farming, collective farming, demand-led diversification including scientific organic practices and the use of information technology for real time communication across the chain.
An appreciation of the concept is mandatory for the policy makers, corporates, governments and the people at large.