Ensuring a Continuous 5% Agricultural Growth Rate Vital for Creating a Developed India by 2047, according to Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

In a significant address at the ICAR Annual Conference, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan laid out a roadmap for the future of Indian agriculture. The conference, attended by Directors of ICAR Institutes and Vice-Chancellors of Agricultural Universities, aims to shape India's agricultural research, education, and extension to support the vision of a developed nation.

Agriculture remains the backbone of the Indian economy, employing nearly half of the country's population and contributing 18% to the national GDP. Recognising the importance of this sector, the Minister emphasised the need to focus on allied activities such as beekeeping, fisheries, animal husbandry, and horticulture, given the continuous decline in landholding sizes.

The Minister expressed confidence that the target of maintaining a 5% growth rate in agriculture is achievable. However, he acknowledged challenges such as the low growth rate of 1.5% in pulses and oilseeds and the wide disparity in productivity across different states. For instance, maize yields are higher in Tamil Nadu but low in Uttar Pradesh, indicating imbalances in agricultural productivity across states.

To address these issues, time-bound goals are being set for both the short and long term. Discussions are underway on improving water efficiency, enhancing crop yields, and ensuring the overall prosperity of farmers. The Minister also highlighted the importance of agricultural education, research, and extension as foundational pillars necessary for increasing productivity and reducing input costs.

In his speech, the Minister also emphasised the use of modern technologies in agriculture. Recent achievements in genome editing include the development of two new rice varieties. Similar advancements are underway in soybeans, pulses, black gram, chickpeas, and pigeon peas to boost yields and productivity.

The Minister thanked Prime Minister Modi for allocating budget funds for establishing a new gene bank. He also stressed the need for clearly defined roles and coordinated efforts from all agricultural stakeholders to address the imbalances in agricultural productivity across states.

Agriculture is expected to contribute $1 trillion to India's aspiration to become a $5 trillion economy. To achieve this, agriculture exports need to increase from the current 6% to at least 20%. The Minister concluded by expressing his belief that with strong collaboration between agricultural universities, ICAR's 113 institutes, 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and state agricultural departments, India can indeed become a developed nation by 2047.

[Related Link: ICAR Annual Conference of Directors and Agricultural University Vice-Chancellors Inaugurated]