India accounts for only about 2.4% of the world’s geographical area and 4% of its
water resources, but has to support about 17% of the world’s human population and 15% of
the livestock. Agriculture is an important sector of the Indian economy, accounting for 14%
of the nation’s GDP and about 11% of its exports. Agriculture in India is currently growing at
an average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8%. About half of the population still
relies on agriculture as its principal source of income and it is a source of raw material for a
large number of industries. Accelerating the growth of agriculture production is therefore
necessary not only to achieve an overall GDP target of 8% and meet the rising demand for
food, but also to increase incomes of those dependent on agriculture and thereby ensure
inclusiveness in our society (Anonymous, 2013).
There was a record food grains production of 259.32 million tonne during 2011-12, of
which 131.27 million tonne was during kharif season and 128.05 million tonne during the
rabi season. The increases in production of wheat, bajra, maize, groundnut and total oilseeds
can mainly be attributed to increase in yields, whereas the growth in production of gram, tur,
pulses, soybean and cotton is driven by a combination of both expansion in area and increase
in productivity. This situation necessitates the role of mechanization in terms of minimal use
of inputs, time saving and labour saving.