Abstract

The population of the country has been increasing at a rather rapid rate, but the food production is not keeping pace with it. Therefore the food problem has become chronic in our country. This fact has been recognized by experts, and now the problem seems to have reached a crisis, and various solutions have been put forth from time to time. Grow more food; grow more food crops; make available more land for food crops; decrease the area under non-food crops; grow more of improved and high yielding strains; apply more manure and get better harvests; treat crops for pests and diseases and put down the loss; provide moro irrigation facilities and increase production. These, and various other aspects of the all important subject have been engaging the attention of all thinking men not only in this country but also elsewhere; for, the trouble of shortage of food is not peculiar to our country alone, but seems to be prevalent in many parts of the world to a greater or a lesser extent. And various schemes are being worked with more or less success, and the solution is yet to be reached. Because land under non-food crops which are more paying is not released for food crops; sufficient quantity of seed for sowing, not to speak of improved strains is not available; and the required quantity of any manure cannot be had or imported. Transportation is difficult and above all, labour which is the most important factor in production has, unfortunately, become scarce and refractory, inefficient and very costly.

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