Agricultural research investment, growth and livelihood security in Jammu & Kashmir

Abstract

Jammu and Kashmir underwent many structural changes after Independence and the government policies focused mainly for the development of agricultural sector and building of basic infrastructure. In view of this, government investment in agriculture steadily increased from about 1 3475 lakh (1980-81) to 1 10582 lakh (2005-06). After this, it suffered a minor set-back and the growing tempo of public investment witnessed some reversal trend and declined to just 1 5062 lakh (2015-16). The estimates revealed that agricultural S&T investment has not only directly helped in livelihood security but also indirectly by improving agricultural productivity. Moreover S&T is itself determined by agricultural productivity, private investment and other factors. The study further shows, investment in agricultural S&T has increased consistently from 1 149 lakh (1980-81) to 1 1196 (2005-06) and later declined to just 1 304 lakh (2015-16). There is huge direct as well as indirect role of S&T investment on agricultural productivity and livelihood security, therefore, the declining trend in public agricultural S&T investment needs to be reversed. Furthermore, there is an immense need to double intensity of S&T investment in agriculture to have manifold growth in agriculture. The Public-Private Partnership to enhance S&T investment in agriculture would be a remunerative proposition.