Budget 2018: Investments in agri the best weapons against poverty, hunger

Among other things, private players should be incentivised to deploy modern technologies in weather/climate-related predictions and forecasts

The year 2018 marks the arrival of 69th Republic day of India. In its journey so far, agriculture and allied sector has played and will continue to play a significant role in providing employment and sustainable livelihoods for the growing population in India. Over 58 per cent of the rural households depend on agriculture as their principal means of livelihood. As per the 2nd revised estimates by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the share of agriculture and allied sectors (including agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishery) is estimated to be 17.3 per cent of the Gross Value Added (GVA) during 2016-17