Agricultural Oriented Programmes of the 60's

Intensive Agricultural District Programme (IADP-1960)

The  intensive  agricultural  district  programme  (IADP),  known  as  'package programme' was launched in the country from Kharif 1960, initially with the following seven districts viz.

1. Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 
2. West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh 
3. Sahabad,  Bihar 
4. Raipur,  Madhya Pradesh 
5. Aligarh,  Uttar Pradesh 
6. Ludhiana,   Punjab 
7. Pali,  Rajasthan

Criteria for selection  of district, were

1. Assured water supply.
2. Not exposed to natural hazards.
3. Should have well developed cooperative credit   structure. 
4. Should have maximum potential to show increased production within the shortest possible time.

The central idea behind the IADP was that increased agricultural productivity shall lead to economic growth, which shall bring welfare to the society.  This programme was called the package programme because of the collective and simultaneous application of all practices of improved seeds, irrigation, fertiliser, plant protection, implements, credit, etc.

Intensive Agricultural Area Programme (IAAP-1964)

            During the third five year plan, 30 per cent increase in food grain production was achieved through IADP. The intensive promotion of agriculture was very popular among policy-makers and administrators. As a result of this a revised version of IADP with less intensive and therefore less costly programme was formulated and launched in selected blocks of 150 districts. It was named as IAAP. The selected blocks were to have the same physical  conditions  as  in  the  case  of  selection  of  districts  for  IADP. 

            Under  this programme 20 to 25 per cent of the cultivated area of the country was brought under the intensive agricultural development. Implementation of IAAP was accepted by Agricultural Production Board and came  into  operation  in  March  1964.

This  programme  also  followed  the  package approaches of use of improved methods. The use of interrelated factors of physical, social and institutional were also followed in a strategic combination mainly to produce an impact on agricultural production. 

High Yielding Varieties Programme (HYVP-1966)

            Launched in 1966, this programme helped the country in attaining self-sufficiency in food. The technological development did not remain confined to the introduction of high yielding crop varieties alone. These were combined with the application of high analysis and balanced fertilizer, irrigation, plant protection, improved implements etc., which made a 'green revolution' possible in the country. The pervasive influence of high yielding technology spread to other areas of farm production such as animal production, fishery, sericulture, social forestry etc.

            Punjab, Haryana and Western parts of UP were initially selected for the phased launching of this strategy. The cultivation of HYV since 1966-67 had resulted in a substantial increase in food grains production. Wheat production was doubled. Rice production also had a substantial increase, though not as much as in the case of wheat.

All the three programmes put together increased the nation’s food production and was named the Green Revolution.

Small Farmers Development Agency (SFDA)     and

Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers Agency (MFALA) (1971-72)

The inadequacy of existing development process to enable very small and small cultivators, owning less than two hectares of land who constitute the majority of farmers, to improve their income and quality of life. The Rural Credit Inquiry Committee in 1969 highlighted the depressed condition of these farmers and recommended the setting up of SFDA in selected districts. The fourth plan endorsed this view point and recommended the formation of this agency. The Government accepted the recommendation made in the fourth plan and set up two separate agencies of SFDA and MFALA in selected districts.

            These were corporate and autonomous bodies registered as societies so as to be more flexible in their structure, composition and working than a departmental agency. These agencies started functioning from 1971-72 onwards in a number of selected districts. Some years later, MFAL was amalgamated with SFDA to form one unified corporate body and continues to be known as SFDA.

            The small farmers were those owning less than 2 hectares each, marginal farmers were those owning less than one hectare each and agricultural labourers were those as having only a homestead and getting 50% of income from wages.