Agriculture contributes only about a quarter of India's total GDP, but its importance in the economic, social, and political fabric of India goes beyond what mere numbers indicate. Central to policy making in India is the enduring concern with the large number of poor agricultural households and their income vulnerablity. These concerns, in turn, drive both policy and public expenditure in agriculture. While significant progress has been made towards rapid agricultural growth, eradication of poverty, and ensuring food security, since the 1990s agricultural growth has slowed down. A concern with the slowdown is evident in the priority given to raising agricultural productivity in the Indian government's National Agricultural Policy and the 10th Five Year Plan.