Role of Agriculture in the Rajasthan economy: 

Agriculture plays a significant role in the economy of Rajasthan. According to the 2011 census share of the rural population in the total population of the sate was 75.05%. The Rural population depends upon agriculture for its livelihood. The reporting area of Rajasthan for the land use in 2008 was 34270 thousand hectare. Out of it the gross agricultural area was 22208 thousand hectare which was 64.80% of the reporting area. In 2007-2008 the gross irrigated area from different sources was 8088 thousand hectare which was 36.42% of the total agricultural area.

Contributions of agriculture and related areas in the Gross State Domestic Product: Gross SDP is the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a state in a specific period. In the financial year 2005-2006, the contribution of agriculture, industries and services in Gross Domestic product of the state was 27.52%, 29.72% and 42.76% respectively. For the financial year 2008-2009, the estimated figures were 27.19%, 28.80% and 44.01%- respectively for agriculture, industries and services.

Agriculture Growth Rate: 

The growth rate of agriculture and related services is having unfluctuating trend. In 2005-2006 the growth rate of agriculture and related activities was negative i.e. 0.88% and it fose to 6.12% in 2008-2009. Under the planned development there has been an increase in the foodgrains production, but there is a fluctuating trend mainly because of dependence of agriculture on monsoons. In 1960-61, the foodgrains production was 45.41 lakh tonnes which was raised to 109.35 lakh tonnes in 1990- 91 and to 159.53 lakh tonnes (Provisional) in 2008-2009.

As regards of Bajra, Rajasthan holds the first place. l/3rd of the Bajra production in the country comes from Rajasthan. Maize contributes l/8th share to the total Maize production in the country. Rajasthan is the largest producer of Barley in the country, only next to Uttar Pradesh.

Thus agriculture contributes largely to the economic growth of the state