Why agriculture is key to building Viksit Bharat

Hindustan Times

04-08-2025

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, continuous reforms and farmer-centric initiatives have led to steady growth in the agriculture sector, and the country has achieved record production of paddy, wheat, maize, groundnut, and soybean. As per the third Advance Estimates for the production of major crops for the agricultural year 2024-25, total food grain production is estimated at 353.96 million tonnes (mt), India's highest production so far; it is also 40% more than it was in 2014-15.
Indian agriculture has gone from stagnation and food insecurity before the 1960s to large surpluses today, disproving the Malthusian belief that population growth would outstrip food production. In 1967, William and Paul Paddock predicted a famine in India, claiming it couldn't feed its growing population and controversially argued against food aid, fearing it would worsen future starvation.
The Green Revolution, driven by high-yielding rice and wheat varieties, agrochemicals, and irrigation, proved the Paddocks wrong by boosting India's foodgrain production from 74 mt in 1966-67 to 130 mt by 1979-80. Annual gains peaked at 8.1 mt (2014–2025). Horticulture also surged from 40 mt in the 1960s to 334 mt in 2024-25, with recent annual increases of 7.5 mt. Crop production has also become more stable due to advances made in developing stress-tolerant varieties and the adoption of resilient farming practices.
India's dairy, poultry, and fisheries sectors have seen remarkable growth. The White Revolution, starting in the 1970s, boosted milk production from 20 mt to 239 mt by 2023-24, rivalling Europe. The Blue Revolution in the 1980s raised fish output from 2.4 mt to 19.5 mt by 2024-25, making India the second-largest seafood producer and exporter. Poultry evolved from being a backyard activity to an industry, with egg production rising from 10 billion to 143 billion, and poultry meat from 113,000 tonnes to five million tonnes over the same period.
Between 2014-15 and 2023-24, animal-source food production saw unprecedented growth: Milk rose by 10.2 mt annually, eggs by 6.8 billion units, broiler meat by 217,000 tonnes, and fish (mainly aquaculture) by 780,000 tonnes. Technological advances in breeding, resource management, and skilled manpower have driven this surge. High-value foods like fruits, vegetables, and animal products now outpace foodgrain growth, underscoring technology's key role in agricultural diversification, improved nutrition, farmer income, and resilience to climate shocks.
India's food production success highlights the transformative role of technology and policy in boosting nutrition, farmer incomes, climate resilience, and exports. Research by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) underscores high returns on investment in agriculture — ₹13.85 and ₹7.40 for every rupee spent on research and extension. Recent government initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (irrigation), PM-KISAN (direct farmer support), the National Livestock Mission, and Blue Revolution have further strengthened agricultural growth by enhancing resource use, reducing risks, and promoting technology adoption across the agri-food system.
By 2047, India aims to become a developed nation. Its economy must grow at 7.8% annually, with a projected population of 1.6 billion — half in urban areas. This shift will double overall food demand, with demand for fruits, vegetables, and animal-based foods expected to triple, while cereal demand remains stable, leading to surpluses.
However, rising urbanisation and industrialisation will shrink agricultural land from 180 million hectares (mha) to 176 mha, and average landholdings from one hectare (ha) to 0.6 ha. This will increase pressure on water and agrochemicals, risking resource degradation. The climate crisis poses an even greater threat, endangering sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods.
India's evolving agri-food challenges call for a realignment of production strategies. Even as the country exports 20 mt of water-intensive rice annually, groundwater sustainability is at risk. Meanwhile, it relies heavily on imports of edible oils and pulses. To ensure food security, protect farmer interests, and conserve resources, crop planning must prioritise water-efficient crops such as oilseeds and pulses, alongside sustainable farming practices.
India can expand pulses and oilseeds cultivation on 12 mha of rice-fallow land left unused due to various constraints. However, low yields — 18-40% gaps in oilseeds and 31-37% in pulses — highlight the need for technological advancements. The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) reached 1.35 crore farmers across 728 districts, promoting improved practices through direct farmer-scientist interaction. To boost production and reduce imports, the government has also launched mission-mode schemes focused on high-yielding seeds for oilseeds, pulses, and cotton.
Agricultural research holds immense potential to boost productivity, resilience, and resource efficiency while lowering costs and managing risks. With growing demand for timely information, modern tools such as AI and data analytics are transforming global agri-research. India currently invests ₹11,600 crore annually (0.5% of the agri-GDP) in R&D, with plans to increase funding and adopt a demand-driven approach. Strengthening Krishi Vigyan Kendras, state extension systems, and Union-state coordination will link research more closely with farmers. Under the One Nation, One Agriculture, One Team vision, ICAR nodal officers are guiding state-level action plans to support Viksit Bharat.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the Union minister for agriculture & farmers welfare, and rural development. The views expressed are personal.