In a bold policy initiative to ensure the future of Indian agriculture, the BJP-led NDA government has launched a series of integrated initiatives to empower farmers, boost crop productivity, and protect cultivators from the vagaries of the market. Ranging from initiating bottom-up reforms in research to launching interventions in targeted soybean farming to offering direct price support to troubled farmers, the multi-pronged strategy of the Union government is an epitome of a visionary approach to sustainable and affluent agriculture.
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, speaking at a press conference in Indore on June 26, reiterated that for India to be developed, there needs to be a developed agriculture sector and prosperous farmers. He stated that the government is not merely concerned with offering temporary relief to farmers but is equally concerned with establishing long-term resilience in the agricultural sector through scientific innovation, market protection, policy changes, and making Indian agriculture competitive on a global level.
In connection with the Centre’s state-wise and crop-wise development programme, a seminal soybean production meeting was organised in Indore on June 26 at the Indian Institute of Soybean Research (ICAR-IISR). The meeting was attended by agriculture ministers from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, top officials from leading soybean-producing states, research institution heads, progressive farmers, and other industry stakeholders.
The discussions centred on increasing soybean productivity, solving challenges like seed quality, resistance to diseases, and mechanisation and value addition and exports for the purpose of increasing farmers’ incomes.
From Lab-to-Land
Among the most significant interventions of the government is the overhaul of the research ecosystem in agriculture to make it more attuned to ground realities. Minister Chouhan accepted that even with India’s huge resource base of over 16,000 agricultural scientists, there has been an enduring gap between laboratory-level research and actual application in the fields.
To fill this gap, the government introduced the “Lab-to-Land” program under the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, a huge outreach initiative involving 2,170 teams with more than 13.5 million farmers nationwide. The goal is to see that farm research is responsive to the real needs and challenges confronting farmers.
One of the main lessons from these encounters is a paradigm shift in research regulation. “Research agendas will no longer be determined by scientists only in Delhi. They will be determined through direct feedback from farmers out in the fields,” Minister Chouhan stated.
Most farmers, through experience and innovation, have already found effective solutions to issues such as low productivity, pests, and poor seed quality. The government has now decided to institutionalise these innovations at the grassroots level, develop them through scientific testing, and upscale them across regions to provide useful, actionable solutions.
Soybean Productivity Push
Soybean, a major protein source and major cash crop of Indian farmers, has been at the centre of the government’s productivity drive strategy. Minister Chouhan stated that specific research efforts will cater to ongoing issues like root rot, which is a serious threat to soybean crops.
Techniques like genome editing, improved seed treatment, and the development of disease-resistant crop varieties will be prioritised to enhance soybean yields. Progressive farmers who have already achieved impressive productivity levels of up to 20 quintals per acre have shared their innovative methods. The government will study these practices and promote their wider adoption across soybean-growing regions.
With farm labour shortages becoming more prevalent, farm mechanisation is also being promoted by the government to simplify cultivation processes and decrease production costs. Mechanisation has been viewed as an essential mean to enhance efficiency and profitability in the industry.
The minister also called attention to value addition to soybean produce. The government is looking at boosting business in products such as tofu, soya milk, and soymeal export to enhance profitability for soybean farmers and boost India’s presence in the global farm produce market.
Policy consultations and research in the future to increase crop productivity will be region-specific. Consultations regarding cotton will be conducted in Coimbatore, sugarcane in Meerut, and pulses in Kanpur so that region-specific agricultural issues are focused on with accuracy.
Vision for Sustainable Growth, One Nation – One Agriculture – One Team
The interventions of the government are informed by the spirit of One Nation – One Agriculture – One Team, that calls for a harmonised and coordinated action of scientists, policymakers, farmers, and industry players.
Minister Chouhan pointed out that during the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the agricultural sector has shown considerable growth in recent years. Production of food grains has increased by 44 percent during the past 11 years due to a mix of higher productivity, policy support, and technological progress.
The government’s vision centres around:
1. Boosting agricultural production at lower cultivation costs
2. Compensating farmers in a proper manner for losses due to crops
3. Maintaining equitable prices to farmers for produce through MSP enforcement and market interventions
4. Encouraging natural farming methods for safeguarding soil health and ecological equilibrium
The minister reiterated that inclusive and sustainable agricultural growth is fundamental in order to attain the vision of a developed India.
Price Support to Karnataka Mango Growers
As a gesture to safeguard the farmers from market fluctuations, the Centre recently stepped in to rescue mango farmers in Karnataka, who suffered huge losses owing to falling prices in the market.
In the scheme, the government, along with the Karnataka state government, sanctioned a compensation of Rs.4 per kilogram, with the Centre and the state sharing the amount equally. The relief was given under the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) that gives compensation to farmers in case of market prices going below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and direct procurement is not possible.
The officials said the move came in response to long-standing demands from mango growers, who were facing unsold fruits and financial hardship.
“The timely intervention of the Centre not only brought economic succour, but also gave a boost to the confidence of farmers, reassuring them that the government is with them through thick and thin,” said a top official of the Agriculture Ministry.
Increased Procurement of Pulses and Oilseeds
The Karnataka mango relief is a part of a wider and continued policy effort to protect farmers from distress sales, particularly when prices in the market dip below MSP. Recently, the government sanctioned massive-scale procurement operations under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the 2025-26 summer crop season with the objective of stabilizing prices and providing income protection to cultivators.
On 12th June, the Centre approved the purchase of 54,166 metric tonnes of Moong from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Gujarat farmers, and 50,750 metric tonnes of Groundnut from Uttar Pradesh. The procurement period for Red gram (Tur) in Andhra Pradesh has also been increased by 15 days for the Kharif season 2024–25.
These operations are essential to foster self-sufficiency in pulse production, reduce import dependence, and increase farmer revenues. In the selected states, the procurement has increased to procure 100 per cent of the total production of major pulses such as Arhar (Tur), Urad, and Masur for the 2024–25 crop year.
These initiatives are being coordinated by central nodal agencies like NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) and NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India) in close liaison with state governments and farmer cooperatives.
PM AASHA: The All-encompassing Safeguard for Farmers
Underlying all these procurement activities is the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM AASHA) initiated in 2018, which is a holistic protection arrangement for farmers consisting of three essential components:
1. The Price Support Scheme (PSS) allows direct government procurement at MSP
2. The Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) offers money to farmers when market prices drop below MSP and direct procurement is not feasible
3. The Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) is triggered for horticultural crops and perishables to step in immediately and stabilise markets
These schemes are meant to insulate farmers against sudden market fluctuations and ensure that farming remains a profitable and sustainable livelihood. The application of Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) and digital tracking systems has improved transparency and access, especially for marginal and small farmers.
Building a Resilient Agricultural Future
Aside from short-term measures, the agricultural strategy of the government is directed towards long-term stability. The focus on diversification of crops, improvement in soil health, import substitution, and improved nutritional security reflects an overall attempt to restructure Indian agriculture as a more stable and globally competitive industry.
As India firms up its position as the world’s fourth-largest economy, the farmer-first policy and structural changes of the NDA government are geared to drive growth and social equality.
“The success of the farmer is not negotiable with us in our path to a developed India,” Minister Chouhan summed up, reiterating the government’s unwavering commitment to farm development and rural empowerment.
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