Transforming Agriculture: Government’s Holistic Strategy for Productivity and Resilience

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 25th July. The Indian government has outlined a comprehensive strategy to enhance agricultural productivity and resilience through initiatives such as research infrastructure review, development of climate-resilient crop varieties, promotion of natural farming among one crore farmers, and establishment of bio-input resource centers.

Additionally, efforts include achieving self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds, developing vegetable production clusters, implementing Digital Public Infrastructure in agriculture, and supporting shrimp farming through NABARD. These initiatives aim to modernize agriculture and ensure sustainable growth across the sector. Here is a summary of each strategy and the progress of government schemes in these areas.

Natural Farming
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prioritized agriculture in the Union Budget, proposing to train 1 crore farmers in natural farming to enhance productivity, sustainability, and access to premium markets for organic produce. This initiative aims to provide farmers with certifications and branding, facilitating a shift towards sustainable agriculture.

What is Natural Farming?

Natural Farming is defined as “chemical-free and livestock-based farming.” Grounded in agro-ecology, it integrates crops, trees, and livestock, optimizing biodiversity. This farming method promises increased farmers’ income, soil fertility restoration, environmental health benefits, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Natural Farming in India

Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) is a sub-mission under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), part of the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). BPKP promotes traditional indigenous practices, focusing on on-farm biomass recycling, cow dung–urine formulations, and excluding synthetic chemical inputs. The scheme’s outlay is Rs 4645.69 crore for six years (2019-20 to 2024-25).

Government Initiatives for Self-Sufficiency in Pulses and Oilseeds
Achieving self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds has been a priority for the Indian government, supported by various initiatives and schemes:

National Food Security Mission – Oilseeds (NFSM-OS)

NFSM-OS aims to increase the availability of edible oils and reduce import dependency by boosting domestic production. The Economic Survey indicates that oilseeds production reached 41.4 million tonnes in 2022-23, with domestic edible oil availability rising significantly, reducing the percentage share of imported edible oil from 63.2% to 57.3%.

Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Pulses and Oilseeds

The Union Cabinet’s increased MSP for the 2024-25 Kharif season reflects a commitment to bolstering agriculture and ensuring farmers’ economic well-being. This year’s significant MSP hikes, especially for oilseeds and pulses, highlight the focus on enhancing farming profitability and sustainability.

High-Yielding and Climate-Resilient Varieties
The Indian government has introduced 109 new high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties across 32 field and horticulture crops to revolutionize agricultural practices. Between 2014-15 and 2023-24, 2593 high-yielding varieties were released, including 2177 climate-resilient varieties with stress resistance and 150 bio-fortified varieties. These efforts have enhanced production even during adverse conditions.

Transforming Agriculture: DPI Initiative
The government’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiative aims to revolutionize agriculture through digital technology. A digital crop survey will be conducted in 400 districts during the Kharif season, utilizing DPI to collect detailed data on crop patterns, land use, and yield estimates. This will enhance planning precision and strategy implementation, including subsidies distribution, insurance coverage, and disaster management.

Jan Samarth Initiative: Empowering Farmers with Accessible Kisan Credit Cards
The Jan Samarth-based Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) scheme aims to provide farmers with simplified and accessible credit. As of January 31, 2024, banks issued 7.5 crore KCCs with a limit of ₹9.4 lakh crores. The KCC scheme was extended to fisheries and animal husbandry in 2018-19, with collateral-free loan limits increased to ₹1.6 lakh and up to ₹3 lakh under Tri-Partite Agreements (TPA).

Strengthening India’s Shrimp Industry
India is the second-largest fish producer globally, with a record fish production of 174.45 lakh tonnes in 2023-24. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced financial support for establishing Nucleus Breeding Centres (NBC) for shrimp brood stocks. This will enhance genetic quality and reduce import dependency, promoting the shrimp industry significantly. Shrimp exports have grown to Rs. 40,013 crore in 2023-24 from Rs. 8,175 crore in 2011.

Conclusion
The government’s holistic agricultural strategy aims to boost productivity and resilience through research and development, introducing new high-yielding crop varieties, promoting natural farming, building bio-input centers, and achieving self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds. Initiatives like Digital Public Infrastructure and support for shrimp breeding centers underscore efforts to modernize and enhance agricultural practices nationwide.