India’s Resilient Production Systems in Agriculture

Status of Agriculture in India

• Agriculture and allied activities account for nearly one-fifth of the country's gross value added at current prices.
• World's second-largest agricultural land area. 

 Leading Producer (First Globally)

• Pulses, Millets and Rice 
• Spices
• Dry Onions (contributes nearly 25 % of the world's total)
• Coconuts

Second Globally

• Wheat
• Fruits and Vegetables
• High₹-Value Cash Crops- Sugarcane, Cotton, Tea

Steps taken to Support Resilient Production Systems

• Productivity and Input-Led Strategies: E.g., National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM), the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (2025–31), National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO), etc. 
• Credit, Mechanization, and Technology: E.g., Kisan Credit Card, Custom Hiring Centres , etc. 
• Price Support and Risk Management: E.g., Minimum Support Price (MSP), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), etc. 
• Market Reforms, Infrastructure, and Collectivisationn: E.g., e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs), etc. 
• Extension Services: E.g., Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension under Krishonnati Yojana.
• Financial and Budgetary Support: Budget allocation for the Department of Agriculture rose substantially to Rs. 1,30,561.38 crore in 2026-27. 

Existing Challenges in Indian Agriculture 

• Climatic and Environmental Vulnerabilities: E.g., crop loss due to natural disasters as well as outbreaks of pests and diseases.
• Import Dependency in essential commodities: such as pulses and edible oils. 
• Economic Insecurity of Smallholders: Indian agriculture is dominated by small and marginal farmers with limited access to resources. 
• Market Volatility and Trade Barriers: Farmers face market-related risks and price variability.
  • In global markets, Indian agricultural products occasionally face hurdles, such as the global tariff and non-tariff barrier.   E.g., Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards of EU
• Supply Chain and Post-Harvest Inefficiencies: E.g., Improper storage leads to loss of grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• Other: Unbalanced use of fertilizer leading to soil degradation, etc. 

Way Forward 

• Digital Market Access: Expanding electronic trading portals like the e-NAM integrates local mandis into a unified national platform. 
• Promoting Collectivization: Forming and promoting FPOs and modernizing Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) empowers farmers through collective bargaining, decentralized grain storage, and shared resources.
• Mechanization: Increasing smallholder access to modern farm machinery through Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) allows farmers to adopt advanced practices without prohibitive upfront costs  
• Promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices: It includes drip irrigation and sprinkler systems, as well as diversifying to high-yield climate resilient/drought resistant crops 
• Promoting adoption of digital technologies: Including precision agriculture tools and data analytics, can significantly optimise farming operations and yield predictions. 
• Undertaking reforms in the fertiliser sector: It will promote sustainability, restore soil carbon, and correct imbalanced nutrient promoting crop diversification.