Fuelling India’s quest to become a global food bowl

When India gained Independence 75 years ago, agriculture dominated the economy and accounted for more than 50 per cent of its GDP. Our country continues to be one of the greatest and most diverse food producers in the world, with agriculture continuing to flourish as a key sector.

The enduring value of agriculture in the subcontinent can be traced back to the Vedic era. Our ancestors held the earth, sun, and water as sources of life, nourishment, and livelihood. Their practices were in tune with nature, as humans attempted to match nature’s contribution in some measure through sustainable practices.

Historically, self-reliance and resilience have been the highlights of Indian agriculture. The sector provides a livelihood to more than 60 per cent of the workforce. The Indian economy and society are significantly impacted by agriculture, with the sector witnessing an average annual growth rate of 4.6 per cent over the past six years. The Situation Assessment Survey by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) estimated the monthly agricultural household income in 2012-13 at Rs 6,426, which has increased to Rs 10,218, according to the 2018-19 survey.

Opportunities galore to promote atmanirbharta

India is one of the top exporters of agricultural goods worldwide. The total value of agricultural exports climbed to $19.7 billion in April–December 2022, owing to an increase in the export of rice, fruits, vegetables, cattle and dairy products. India is now the largest rice exporter in the world, contributing close to 40 per cent of the overall export of grain, which is estimated at 54 million tonnes in the crop year 2022–23.

As part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat agenda, the Indian government is committed to lowering agricultural imports. With better agronomic techniques and high-yielding seeds, this can be accomplished at a faster pace. Keeping in mind the government’s objective of raising farmers’ income, there has been an impetus on increasing agri-exports. The Indian government has recognised 220 labs which will evaluate a range of products for exporters. It has also built a products matrix for 50 agricultural products with strong export potential.

Oilseeds, in great demand both domestically and internationally, are viewed as an avenue for boosting exports. Edible oils are produced from oilseed crops, including mustard, peanuts, and sunflower. The production and productivity of oilseeds will rise if new seed technologies are used for their cultivation. Farmers can have a reliable source of income by growing oilseeds, particularly mustard, as the demand for edible oils is expected to rise in the coming years. By converting these farmers to high-yield hybrid technology, mustard production and yields in the country will significantly increase.

Tech, innovation & digital transformation

The Indian agriculture industry is undergoing a revolutionary technological makeover with the use of diverse digital platforms, apps, new-age techniques and drones. The application of modern technologies in agriculture such as remote sensing, big data analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), will enable farmers to build on India’s agricultural success. Agtech aims to assist farmers with precise irrigation, fertigation, and crop protection decisions, which can increase yields and decrease waste.

Agtech solutions provide farmers relevant data to analyse the current state of their farms, aid in resource optimisation and increase crop output. Increased production and investment, diversification of the sector, application of modern techniques, development of horticulture and floriculture, growth of export volumes, and growth of the food processing industry are emerging trends in the agricultural sector.

Also, the government has launched several initiatives to promote the use of technology in agriculture by launching the e-NAM platform for online trading of agricultural produce. Precision agriculture, which uses technology to optimise crop yields and reduce waste, is gaining traction in India.

By assessing data from sensors and satellites, forecasting weather patterns, and providing real-time data on soil moisture, temperature, and nutrient levels, AI can assist farmers manage crops more effectively. Kisan Drones are expected to usher in a new era of technology in agriculture, and the government is encouraging farmers with financial assistance.

Technology has also made it possible for the Indian farming community to follow global trends towards data-driven agriculture. Companies are developing value chain partners in response to this requirement, offering a variety of services (including mobile apps for crop health monitoring and predictive analytics, among others), allowing them to collaborate with the farming community to provide solutions beyond the core agricultural products.

Research, development and reforms

The industry, today, needs to support sustainable agriculture and offer solutions to address climate change whilst enhancing productivity to feed an ever-growing population. Agtech will play a major role here, and both Central and state governments have extended farmer support to adopt new technologies through government incentives and collaboration with agro-science based companies.

Agriculture is a high-risk business, exacerbated by climate effects. While technologies related with abiotic and biotic are being developed and progressively being made available to farmers, an enabling ecosystem that includes credit and disaster compensation would go a long way in ease of doing agriculture and ensuring a respectable livelihood for all farmers.

The challenges, including the negative effects of climate change, fragmented land-holdings, inadequate farm mechanisation, low productivity, covert unemployment, and growing input costs, etc, mean Indian agriculture needs to change its course. The industry is undergoing a technological revolution, yet there are several issues that affect the sector’s production and sustainability.

The adoption of improved farming practices is hampered by limited access to knowledge, traditional methods, and reluctance to change. Additionally, India’s agricultural dependance on the monsoon makes it susceptible to drought and erratic rainfall patterns. These infrastructure inadequacies raise the cost of production.

The bright side

India has the capacity to meet the food requirement of a large part of the world’s population given its diverse agro climatic zones and soil types, enabling production of a range of agricultural produce. With the support of research and development, along with technological progress, the country’s large arable land can be put to optimum use, thus making agriculture a strong economic driver. The government is working hard to improve infrastructure, such as cold storage facilities and transportation networks to support agri exports. India can also benefit from regional trade agreements, to expand its global reach. With concerted efforts such as these, the world will soon witness a new era of Indian agriculture as it emerges as a global food bowl.

(The author is MD and CEO, Rallis India Ltd)