Tech innovation drives India's post-2015 farm growth to 4.5 pc average: Report
New Delhi, Oct 30
India's agriculture sector has undergone a structural transformation since 2015 with farm growth accelerating and increasing emphasis on technology, sustainability, nutrition security and global competitiveness, a report has said.
Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a Viksit Bharat, a report by Good Morning Kashmir said agriculture and farmer welfare have remained central to the country's development agenda, evolving from a focus on boosting production and incomes to creating a productive, resilient and technology-driven farm economy.
It added that the Prime Minister's call of "Jai Anusandhan", building on the slogans "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" and "Jai Vigyan", placed research and innovation at the heart of India's agricultural future.
"Agricultural growth, which averaged about 2.7 per cent during 1967-1995 and about 3.0 per cent during 1996-2014, accelerated to around 4.5 per cent during 2015-2025," the report said.
The last two years have seen an exceptional rise in foodgrain production, with annual increases of 22.1 million tonnes, it added.
The growth has also become more diversified, extending beyond cereals to horticulture, dairy, fisheries, poultry and other high-value agricultural activities.
Changing consumption patterns require farms to increasingly focus on pulses, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, dairy and fisheries rather than cereals alone.
The report showed that India's agricultural objective should shift from food security towards nutrition security while improving farmers' participation in value-added activities such as processing, packaging, branding, logistics and exports.
The government initiatives including the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Soil Health Card programme, PM-KUSUM, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), e-NAM and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund as key enablers of the transition.
Calling technology central to the next phase of agricultural growth, the report said artificial intelligence (AI), drones, genomics, biotechnology, remote sensing and digital advisory platforms can help improve productivity, resource efficiency and climate resilience.
The report added that India must increasingly integrate its farmers with global value chains while ensuring sustainable use of water, land and energy resources.
— IANS
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