{"id":36691,"date":"2025-02-03T18:48:15","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T13:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=36691"},"modified":"2025-08-06T13:09:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T07:39:09","slug":"india-agriculture-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/03-02-2025\/india-agriculture-growth","title":{"rendered":"Strengthening India&#8217;s Agricultural Backbone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Agriculture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Agriculture remains the backbone of India&#8217;s economy, employing nearly 45% of the workforce and contributing about 16% to the nation&#8217;s GDP.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recognizing its pivotal role, India has implemented several initiatives to strengthen this sector.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Agriculture Sector in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Agriculture serves as the <strong>backbone of India&#8217;s economy<\/strong>, playing a pivotal role in ensuring <em>food security, providing employment, and contributing to overall economic development.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is envisioned as one of the <strong>four engines of development<\/strong> (others are <strong><em>MSMEs, Investments, and Exports)<\/em><\/strong> in the recently announced <strong>Union Budget of 2025-26.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These engines are aimed at driving sustainable growth and achieving the vision of a <strong>\u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/19-04-2025\/viksit-bharat-developed-india-by-2047\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/19-04-2025\/viksit-bharat-developed-india-by-2047\">Viksit Bharat\u2019 (Developed India) by 2047<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Agriculture in India<\/strong><br>&#8211; It is primarily a <strong>State Subject in Schedule VII of Indian Constitution<\/strong>. It covers <em>agricultural education and research, protection against pests, and prevention of plant diseases.<\/em><br>1. Some aspects like trade and commerce fall under the <strong>Concurrent List.<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Article 48 of the Constitution (Directive Principles of State Policy)<\/strong> directs the State to organize agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines.<br><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"295\" height=\"290\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXfuBKrYU6MEcj5I-7XpFnyVq2-i5uURY7gGyOHJEROlKCsq2KsgSMTGVAOdB-SVw2b4X1_A8wr_8-F56fvuLwsYtv3UZWDly_vWHV3WBmpV0-gwTAbhJXFyAE8kXIctozbFoy7DXw?key=sGGPqs21pv630gG7VtuZ-sxv\" alt=\"Agriculture in India\"><br><strong>Some Facts (Economic Survey 2024-25)<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Irrigation<\/strong>: The area under micro-irrigation schemes increased to approximately 8,000 hectares between 2015-2023.<br>&#8211; <strong>Organic Farming:<\/strong> Mobilization under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and the Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region has increased.<br>&#8211; <strong>Fisheries and Livestock: <\/strong>The fisheries sector registered a CAGR of 13.67%, and the livestock sector grew at 12.99% between 2015-2023.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Farmer-Centric Initiatives To Strengthen India&#8217;s Agriculture Sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"edeeee\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"659\" height=\"896\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Key-Farmer-Centric-Initiatives-To-Strengthen-India-Agriculture-Sector.png\" alt=\"key-farmer-centric-initiatives-to-strengthen-india-agriculture-sector\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-36692\" style=\"--dominant-color: #edeeee; width:459px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Key-Farmer-Centric-Initiatives-To-Strengthen-India-Agriculture-Sector.png 659w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Key-Farmer-Centric-Initiatives-To-Strengthen-India-Agriculture-Sector-221x300.png 221w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 659px) 100vw, 659px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) <\/strong>scheme has disbursed \u20b93.46 lakh crore, while the <strong>Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)<\/strong> has provided \u20b91.65 lakh crore in claims.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF)<\/strong> has sanctioned \u20b952,738 crore for over 87,500 projects to improve post-harvest management.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Minimum Support Price (MSP) Enhancements:<\/strong> The MSP for paddy has risen from \u20b9850 per quintal in 2008-09 to \u20b92,300 per quintal in 2023-24, while the MSP for wheat has increased from \u20b91,080 per quintal to \u20b92,425 per quintal during the same period.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>e-NAM:<\/strong> Integration of <strong>1410 Mandis with e-NAM<\/strong> since inception across 23 States &amp; 4 UTs.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As on 31st December 2024, 1.79 Crore farmers &amp; 2.63 lakh traders have been registered on e-NAM portal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Millets (Superfood of India):<\/strong> Millet production has increased in the last 1 year, reaching 175.72 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 (Final Estimate) from 173.21 lakh tonnes in 2022-23.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Productivity has increased by 7% from 1248 Kg\/ha to 1337 Kg\/ha between 2019 and 2024 (Final Estimate).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promoting Sustainable Practices:<\/strong> Initiatives like the promotion of millet production and the establishment of a second Gene Bank to safeguard genetic resources for future food security are steps in the right direction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Kye Focus Area in Union Budget 2025-26<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana:<\/strong> For developing agri districts programme<strong>,<\/strong> covering 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters, to benefit 1.7 crore farmers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Building Rural Prosperity and Resilience: <\/strong>To address under-employment in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/agriculture-in-india\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/agriculture-in-india\/\">agriculture<\/a> through skilling, investment, technology, and invigorating the rural economy.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Phase-1 to cover 100 developing agri-districts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Aatmanirbharta in Pulses:<\/strong> Government to launch a <strong>6-year \u2018Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses\u2019<\/strong> with focus on <strong>Tur, Urad and Masoor.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>NAFED and NCCF to procure these pulses from farmers during the next 4 years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Comprehensive Programme for Vegetables &amp; Fruits:<\/strong> To promote production, efficient supplies, processing, and remunerative prices for farmers to be launched in partnership with states.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Makhana Board in Bihar:<\/strong> To improve production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Mission on High Yielding Seeds:<\/strong> To strengthen the research ecosystem, targeted development and propagation of seeds with high yield, and commercial availability of more than 100 seed varieties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fisheries:<\/strong> For sustainable harnessing of fisheries from the<strong> Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas<\/strong>, with a special focus on the <strong>Andaman &amp; Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mission for Cotton Productivity:<\/strong> A <strong>5-year mission<\/strong> announced to facilitate significant improvements in productivity and sustainability of cotton farming, and promote extra-long staple cotton varieties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enhanced Credit through KCC:<\/strong> The loan limit under the <strong>Modified Interest Subvention Scheme<\/strong> to be enhanced <strong>from \u20b9 3 lakh to \u20b9 5 lakh for loans<\/strong> taken through the KCC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Urea Plant in Assam:<\/strong> A plant with <strong>annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tons<\/strong> to be set up at <strong>Namrup, Assam.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Concerns\/Challenges &amp; Related Suggestions (Post the Union Budget 2025-26)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Implementation of New Schemes:<\/strong> While the budget introduced several new schemes like the <strong>Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana<\/strong> and the <strong>Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses,<\/strong> the effective implementation of these programs remains a challenge.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ensuring that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries and addressing any bureaucratic hurdles will be crucial.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Access to Quality Seeds and Technology:<\/strong> Despite efforts to enhance access to quality seeds and modern technology, many farmers still face difficulties in obtaining these resources.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The adoption of high-yielding, climate-resilient crop varieties needs to be accelerated to improve productivity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure and Storage:<\/strong> Improving post-harvest infrastructure and storage facilities is essential to reduce wastage and ensure better prices for farmers.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The budget has allocated funds for this purpose, but timely and efficient execution is necessary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Credit Availability:<\/strong> While the budget has raised the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loan limit, ensuring that farmers have easy access to credit without cumbersome procedures is vital.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Financial literacy and awareness among farmers about available schemes can also help in this regard.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Market Access and Fair Pricing:<\/strong> Farmers often struggle with getting fair prices for their produce due to market inefficiencies and lack of direct access to markets.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Strengthening market linkages and promoting farmer producer organizations (FPOs) can help address this issue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Climate Change and Sustainability:<\/strong> With changing weather patterns, adopting sustainable agricultural practices becomes imperative.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The budget&#8217;s focus on climate-resilient crops and practices is a step in the right direction, but continuous support and education for farmers are needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Strengthening India&#8217;s agricultural backbone is crucial for the country&#8217;s socio-economic development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By implementing farmer-centric initiatives, enhancing budget allocations, and promoting sustainable practices, the government is working towards ensuring food security, providing employment, and boosting overall economic growth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> How can the various farmer-centric initiatives and budget allocations outlined in recent government policies effectively strengthen India&#8217;s agricultural backbone and ensure sustainable development?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2098424\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: PIB<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-3-February-2025.pdf.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Agriculture remains the backbone of India&#8217;s economy, employing nearly 45% of the workforce and contributing about 16% to the nation&#8217;s GDP.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36691"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50576,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36691\/revisions\/50576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}