Explain about population dividend in recent years and factors that can affect it in coming years.
Post-harvest practices involving processing contribute a great deal to the income and livelihood of Indian farmers. This is how: -Antidote to Losses: A major part of the produce is lost to the country for post-harvest damage by inadvertent handling, poor storage, and inept transportation. European fRead more
Post-harvest practices involving processing contribute a great deal to the income and livelihood of Indian farmers. This is how:
-Antidote to Losses: A major part of the produce is lost to the country for post-harvest damage by inadvertent handling, poor storage, and inept transportation. European farmers are suffering huge losses of economic resources due to post-harvest losses. Proper sorting, grading, cleaning, and storage in an effective post-harvest management scheme must, therefore, take the lead in reducing these losses while helping to increase farmers’ returns.
-Higher Quality: Post-harvest handling upgrades the quality and shelf life. Consumers may prefer this quality, and therefore the price in the market may increase.
-Value Addition: Different processes provide raw produce added value. Such processes, for instance, include drying, canning, pasteurization, and freezing; these methods turn raw produce into finished products like juice, jam, and pickles. This adds value and gives farmers alternative income.
-Market Access: Improvement in post-harvest practices allows farmers to gain increased access to multiple markets. The produce being cultivated takes off to other levels, enhancing quality and safety that allows farmers to sell in higher-end markets, meeting high-demand buyers like processors, exporters, and retailers.
-Reduced dependence on middlemen: Value addition activities can sever these ties and reduce futility-reaching middlemen who predominantly determine prices and bargain with farmers on low-cost options. Better prices for produce and incomes shall be realized.
Critical Points Affecting Indian Post-Harvest Practices
Post-harvest losses: There isn’t enough infrastructure regarding cold storages. Poor transport infrastructure and a lack of the presence of processing units thus lead to huge post-harvest losses.
Lack of awareness: Most farmers lack knowledge of suitable post-harvest handling techniques and the need for quality management.
Limited access to technology: Smallholder farmers do not have access to modern post-harvest technologies such as refrigeration, cold storage, and processing equipment.
Lack of market information: Most farmers lack access to market information, which leads to poor decision-making on pricing, marketing channels, and value-addition opportunities.
Population Dividend Population dividend, or demographic dividend as it is called when speaking of economic growth is a term that denotes the potential growth which a country can exploit when a larger part of its population is in the working-age group (15-64 years) rather than dependents (children anRead more
Population Dividend
Population dividend, or demographic dividend as it is called when speaking of economic growth is a term that denotes the potential growth which a country can exploit when a larger part of its population is in the working-age group (15-64 years) rather than dependents (children and the old age). India is among such countries, with 65% of its population being below 35 years old.
Factors Influencing India’s Population Dividend in Coming Years .
1. Education and Skill Development
– The workforce must be equipped with the skills the market needs, which can only come from quality education and vocational training.
2. Job Creation
– India has to create a lot of job opportunities, especially in manufacturing, services, and technology sectors, to accommodate the young population. If not enough job growth, the demographic dividend could become a demographic liability.
3. Healthcare A healthy workforce is pivotal to sustained productivity. The lack of healthcare infrastructure and the newly emerging lifestyle diseases could be the main reasons why such productivity will not be achieved by the working-age population.
4. Gender Inclusion
– The inclusion of women in the workforce is a strong factor in maximizing the demographic dividend. The percent of women who are a part of the workforce in India, at the moment, is really small, which is one of the main economy-constrainers.
5. Regional Disparities – The northern Indian states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are seeing a youth surge after enjoying decades of fertility decline and increasing female literacy. On the other hand, the southern states with Kerala and Tamil Nadu are struggling due to the aging population. Such a situation would mean that only a part of this demographic would be representative of a region and, at the same time, may create disparities in the development of different areas of the country.
6. Automation and Technology
The rise of technology innovation, in particular, the expansion of the industry of automation, is expected to result in the reduction of low-skilled jobs. The only way India could ensure that its workforce is ready for this is by investing in the upskilling of its workforce for the upcoming industries.
Population dividends in India are noteworthy concepts of realization. They present a wonderful chance for economic growth. A timely and proper response to this valuable opportunity would require strategic actions in the fields of education, healthcare, job creation, and gender inclusion. If this would not be realized, the potential benefit would be lost and socio-economic challenges would emerge.
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