Accelerating India’s Agricultural Transformation

Syllabus: GS3/Agriculture; Economy

Context

• India’s agriculture sector is evolving rapidly, linking from biofuels and food processing to agri-tech and organic farming that demands a systems-level approach rooted in farmer-centric policy, innovation, and technology.

Need of Agricultural Transformation in India

• Rising Demand for Food Security: Sustainable farming practices and technological advancements are crucial to meeting future demand.
• Climate Change and Environmental Concerns: Erratic weather patterns, soil degradation, and water scarcity threaten agricultural output.
  • Soil degradation affects nearly 30% of India’s land, jeopardizing productivity and long-term food security.
• Economic Growth and Farmer Welfare: Transforming the sector through better market access, financial inclusion, and value-added processing can improve livelihoods.
• Technological Advancements: Digital tools, AI-driven precision farming, and smart irrigation systems can optimize yields and reduce losses.
  • The adoption of modern technology is key to making Indian agriculture more efficient.
• Global Competitiveness: India is a major food producer, but enhancing agricultural exports and ensuring quality standards will strengthen its global position.
  • Policy reforms and infrastructure development are essential for this.

Challenges in Agricultural Transformation

• Land Fragmentation: Shrinking farm sizes and lack of accurate land records make it difficult for farmers to generate sufficient income.
  • 82% of farmers in India are small or marginal.
• Infrastructure and Market Access: Limited storage facilities, transportation bottlenecks, and market volatility affect profitability.
• Policy and Regulatory Framework: While government initiatives like PM-KISAN and e-NAM support farmers, regulatory uncertainties and subsidy inefficiencies remain challenges.
• Climate and Resource Constraints: Water scarcity and excessive fertilizer use impact soil health and long-term sustainability.

India’s Agricultural Transformation

• Soil Health:
  • Balanced fertilizer use — including micronutrients and organics — is essential.
  • Soil Health Card initiative, covering over 140 million farmers, provides a critical data-driven baseline.
  • Union Budget (2025) prioritizes subsidy diversification and promotes organic inputs.
• Global Competition:
  • Encouraging indigenous crops like millets and makhana aligns India with the global push for clean, nutritious food.
  • Achieving edible oil self-reliance through oilseed R&D and infrastructure could reduce the $18 billion import bill.
• Role of Technology:
  • Precision agriculture is no longer aspirational—it’s imperative. Technologies like AI, drones, IoT, and satellites are reshaping farming:
  • AI can increase yields by 20% and cut input costs by 15% (National Academy of Agricultural Sciences).
  • Platforms such as AgriStack, Kisan e-Mitra, and UFSP are making digital agriculture inclusive.
  • The IndiaAI Mission needs to focus on localization, global benchmarking, and civil society collaboration.
• Sustainable Energy: Greening Agri-Supply Chains:
  • India’s goal of 500 GW of solar capacity by 2030 offers a bold roadmap.
  • Innovations like floating solar farms, AI-based wind mapping, and rural grid integration can transform agriculture into a net contributor to clean energy.
• Climate Resilience Agriculture: Climate extremes — droughts, floods, heatwaves — are now structural risks in Indian agriculture. Building resilience is essential:
  • Adoption of stress-tolerant seeds, smart irrigation, and agroforestry must scale.
  • Over 10 million hectares now use micro-irrigation; over 1 million farmers practice agroforestry.

Way Forward: Farmer Empowerment

• The Union Budget (2025) allocates $2 billion in agricultural credit.
• Agri-extension networks need to expand, driven by both public and private actors.
• Allied sectors like dairy, poultry, and fisheries, already supporting 70 million households, are crucial for income diversification and stability.
• The future of Indian agriculture cannot rest on policy alone. It demands strategic collaboration between Government, Industry, Academia, Civil society, and Farmers.
• The shift must be from fragmented interventions to long-term partnerships. India must aim not only to feed its population but to lead in sustainable, inclusive, and high-value agriculture.

Source: BL