India’s vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047—a developed, prosperous, and inclusive nation rests on strong foundational sectors, and agriculture remains central to that transformation.

• Recently, The Prime Minister inaugurated the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference on the occasion of his 100th birth anniversary.
• The conference is themed “Evergreen Revolution: The Pathway to Biohappiness,” highlighting Professor Swaminathan’s lifelong commitment to food security.

Current Status of the Indian Agriculture Sector

• India transformed from a food-insecure to a food-surplus nation.
• Food grain production increased from 50.82 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 353.96 million tonnes in 2024-25 (According to Advance Estimates for 2024–25)
• Average annual growth: 5% from FY17 to FY23, showcasing strong resilience.(Q2 FY25 growth: 3.5%)
• Agriculture’s Gross Value Added(GVA) share increased from 24.38% (FY15) to 30.23% (FY23).
• Agriculture continues to support nearly half the population either directly or indirectly, it remains the largest source of employment in rural India.
• Horticulture production has surged from 40 million tonnes in the 1960s to 334 million tonnes in 2024-25, contributing to both food diversity and nutritional security.

Growth in Allied Sectors

The agriculture story is no longer just about crops. Allied sectors like dairy, fisheries, and poultry have shown exceptional growth

• Milk production increased from 20 million tonnes in the 1970s to 239 million tonnes by 2023-24, thanks to the White Revolution.
• Fish production has jumped from 2.4 million tonnes to 19.5 million tonnes, placing India among the top seafood exporters globally.
• Egg production rose from 10 billion to 143 billion, and poultry meat from 113,000 tonnes to 5 million tonnes.

Crucial Shifts Driving Agricultural Change in India – Policy and Research Initiatives

Agricultural Infrastructure Investment:  Schemes like the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) are modernizing storage, processing, and logistics—crucial for reducing post-harvest losses and streamlining supply chains. 

• The AIF was launched with a funding provision of ₹1 lakh crore, to be disbursed between FY 2020-21 and FY 2025-26, with support extended up to FY 2032-33.
• PMKSY offers credit-linked financial assistance through grants-in-aid, aiming to build robust supply chains from farm to retail. This helps reduce the wastage of perishable crops and increases the shelf life of food products.

Digital Technology Integration

• The Digital Agriculture Mission (launched in 2024) is establishing a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that includes AgriStack, Krishi Decision Support System, and soil profiling.
• The Namo Drone Didi scheme aims to supply agriculture drones to 15,000 selected women-led Self Help Groups (SHGs) between 2023-24 and 2025-26.
• Nano Urea: Launched by IFFCO in 2021, this liquid fertilizer contains nanoscale nitrogen particles. It improves nutrient absorption by crops while reducing the need for conventional urea and lowering environmental impact.
• PUSA Decomposer: Developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), this microbial solution accelerates the decomposition of crop residue, offering an eco-friendly alternative to stubble burning.

Sustainable and Organic Farming: India has a long-standing tradition of organic farming, rooted in ancient agricultural practices.

• The modern framework for organic farming was formalized with the launch of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) in 2001.
• Sikkim made global history in 2016 by becoming the first fully organic state. States like Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have also set targets to follow suit.
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) – Launched in 2014-15, NMSA promotes organic nutrient management, improves water-use efficiency, and encourages climate-resilient farming. 
• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) – Introduced in 2015, this scheme promotes group-based organic farming. It provides financial aid for inputs, seeds, and essential resources, helping farmers transition to organic practices.

Fisheries and Aquaculture: India’s fisheries sector is a key player on the global stage, with the Blue Revolution highlighting the critical importance of fisheries and aquaculture in the country.

• India is the second-largest fish-producing country in the world, contributing approximately 8% of global fish production. India is the second-largest aquaculture producer globally.
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): Aims to increase aquaculture productivity, improve fisheries management, and promote infrastructure such as integrated aquaparks.
• Blue Revolution Scheme: A comprehensive initiative for the development of both marine and inland fisheries through integrated planning and management.
• Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF): Supports the creation of essential infrastructure in marine and inland fisheries, including harbors, hatcheries, and cold chains.
• National Policy on Marine Fisheries (NPMF, 2017): Provides a policy framework for the conservation, sustainable use, and management of marine fishery resources.

Livestock and Dairy Sector

The Livestock Sector is an important subsector of agriculture in the Indian economy. It grew at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.99% from 2014-15 to 2022-23.

• India is ranked first in milk production contributing 24.76% of global milk production.
• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, India ranks 2nd in Egg Production and 5th in meat production in the world.
• Rashtriya Gokul Mission: Focuses on the conservation and genetic improvement of indigenous cattle breeds. Promotes selective breeding and scientific management to enhance productivity and preserve native livestock.
• National Livestock Mission: Aims to improve the quality and quantity of livestock production. Supports capacity building, fodder development, and encourages entrepreneurship across the livestock value chain.

Food Processing Sector: As the world’s largest producer of fruits, vegetables, millets, tea, food grains, milk, and livestock, India is well-positioned to become a global leader in food processing.

• The food processing sector is a priority under the Make in India initiative.
• Mega Food Parks are being developed in agricultural regions, offering ready-to-use facilities and essential utilities.
• PM Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY): Approved in 2017, Aims to build modern infrastructure for food processing and supply chains, reduce wastage, increase farmer incomes, and create rural employment.
• Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry: Encourages domestic manufacturing, value addition, branding, and exports.
• Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme: The first national-level scheme for micro food processing enterprises. Promotes the One District One Product (ODOP) approach to develop local food processing clusters and promote regional specialties.

Structural Issues weakening Indian Agriculture

Fragmented Land Holdings

• India’s farmland is steadily shrinking in size. The average holding declined from 2.3 ha in 1970–71 to 1.08 ha in 2015–16, and is projected to fall further to just 0.6 ha by 2047.
• According to the 2015–16 Agriculture Census, 86.1% of Indian farmers are classified as small and marginal (owning less than 2 hectares of land).
• Small land holdings hinder mechanization, limit economies of scale, and reduce access to formal credit.

Area Under Agricultural Land

• According to Land Use Statistics, India’s agricultural land area slightly declined from 180.62 million hectares (mha)  in 2018–19 to 180.11 mha in 2021–22. 
• With increasing urbanisation and industrialisation, it is projected to fall further to around 176 mha.

Water Scarcity and Climate Risks

• Despite being home to 18% of the global population, India has access to just 4% of the world’s water resources.
• Agriculture is still heavily dependent on monsoon rains, with only 52% of cultivated land being irrigated as of 2022–23.
• Inefficient irrigation systems and unpredictable weather reduce yields.
• The 2017–18 Economic Survey estimated that climate change could cut farm incomes by 15–18%, and up to 25% in rain-fed areas.
• Recent heatwaves (2022–2023) severely damaged wheat crops, highlighting climate vulnerability.

Market Inefficiencies

• The APMC system, meant to protect farmers, often results in exploitation by middlemen. Farmers earn only 15–20% of the final retail price.
• E-NAM, launched in 2016 to create a unified digital marketplace, has limited reach—only 1.77 crore farmers were registered as of Feb 2024.

Limited Access to Formal Credit

• The 2019 Situation Assessment Survey showed over 50% of agricultural households were in debt, with an average outstanding loan of ₹74,121.
• Despite KCC’s growth, credit access is uneven, concentrated in southern regions. Informal credit with high-interest rates traps small farmers in debt

Policy Distortions and Overdependence on Subsidies

• Agricultural policies have long focused on subsidies, especially for fertilizers, electricity, and water.
• The FY24 fertilizer subsidy is estimated to reach ₹1.88 lakh crore.
• The MSP system, while helpful, promotes overproduction of crops like rice and wheat, crowding out more diverse and sustainable options.

Post-Harvest Losses

• A large share of farm produce is lost due to poor storage and transport systems.
• India’s post-harvest losses amount to approximately ₹1,52,790 crore annually, according to a Ministry of Food Processing Industries 2022 study.
• The biggest loss is from perishable commodities, which include livestock produce such as eggs, fish and meat (22%), fruits (19%) and vegetables (18%)
• Inadequate capacity: India has a storage capacity of 47 per cent of its total foodgrains production.

Lack of Crop Diversification: Indian agriculture continues to focus heavily on rice and wheat.

• Over-reliance on staples affects soil health and limits income potential.
• Though the government promoted millets during the International Year of Millets (2023), large-scale adoption remains slow.

Slow Adoption of Modern Technology

• While the Green Revolution was transformative, progress has since stagnated.
• Advanced tools like precision farming, drones, and AI-based systems are adopted at a slow pace.
• Indian crop yields, such as rice, lag behind global benchmarks (e.g., China).
• A lack of research-extension linkages and awareness further widens the innovation gap.

Reimagining Agriculture for Viksit Bharat

Diversifying Crops & Enhancing Sustainability

• Reduce dependence on water-intensive cereals like rice and wheat by promoting oilseeds, pulses, fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs—especially in water-stressed regions.
• Reform MSP policy to support a wider basket of crops, backed by quality seed access, assured markets, and targeted subsidies.
• Encourage natural and regenerative practices such as agroforestry, bio-fertilizers, and Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF).
• Launch a national regenerative farming policy with R&D incentives and private-sector collaboration.
• Develop and deploy climate-resilient crop varieties that can withstand floods, droughts, and heatwaves.

Accelerating Digital & Technological Transformation

• Expand use of AI for weather forecasting, pest control, yield optimization, and climate advisories.
• Build vernacular AI platforms and deliver them at scale via AgTech partnerships and public schemes.
• Promote data-driven tools for real-time farm-level decision-making.
• Make farm robotics affordable through low-cost automation, AgTech hubs, and public-private partnerships.
• Deploy digital twin technology to simulate field conditions, speed up R&D, and cut trial costs.

Promoting Climate-Resilient & Water-Efficient Farming

• Scale up micro-irrigation (drip and sprinkler systems) to improve water use efficiency.
• Expand the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and link it with MGNREGA to fund local water assets like micro-reservoirs and aquifer recharge structures.
• Strengthen PM-KUSUM to boost clean energy in irrigation, including solar pumps.
• Support the shift to region-specific cropping patterns based on water availability and climate risks.
• Invest in bio-inputs and digital tools to build long-term climate resilience.

Empowering Farmers through Entrepreneurship & Institutions

• Support Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to boost bargaining power and improve market access.
• Fostering agri-startups and innovation in the agri-value chain to create jobs and raise rural incomes.
• Provide capacity building and entrepreneurship support for rural youth and farming communities.

Building Modern Agri-Infrastructure

• Attract private investment in cold chains, food processing, and warehousing via PPP models.
• Strengthen logistics infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance supply chain efficiency.
• Ensure infrastructure supports smallholders through equitable access and service delivery.

Scaling Digital & Alternative Food Systems

• Expand blockchain adoption beyond pilots to improve traceability in export-oriented crops like spices and basmati rice.
• Enhance digital infrastructure and farmer awareness to support blockchain use.
• Boost the alternative protein ecosystem through global R&D collaboration, production innovation, and consumer awareness campaigns on plant-based and lab-grown proteins.

Conclusion

India’s agricultural transformation disproves historical theories of food scarcity and highlights the role of technology, policy reforms, and research in achieving food security, higher farmer incomes, and climate resilience. Continued investments and strategic realignment will be key to meeting the evolving demands of a growing and urbanizing population.

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