NEW DELHI, 22 May 2025: India must achieve a 5% annual growth rate in agriculture and allied sectors to become a developed nation by 2047, said Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
He was addressing a gathering of agricultural scientists and stakeholders, where he outlined the roadmap to transform Indian agriculture into a key pillar of the nation's growth strategy.
Currently, foodgrain cultivation covers nearly 93% of farmland, but the growth rate stands at only 1.5%. "We are working to bridge the yield gap and match national average yields," the Minister said, calling for coordinated efforts across agriculture research institutes, universities, and government agencies.
Emphasising the critical role of agricultural R&D, Chouhan highlighted that only 0.4% of agricultural GDP is invested in research and innovation, a number he called to be increased substantially. "Research will drive both yield growth and cost reduction. All agri-research institutions must align their focus toward achieving the 5% target," he stressed.
Chouhan said that for India to reach its ambition of a $5 trillion economy, the agriculture sector must contribute $1 trillion, along with a significant rise in agri exports from 6% to 20% of output. He urged better use of germplasm resources, noting that India holds 4.5 lakh varieties, of which only 5% are currently utilised.
The Minister warned that land holdings are projected to shrink to 0.6 hectares by 2047, down from 1.18 hectares today, requiring smarter use of available natural resources, precision farming, and climate-resilient agriculture.
Chouhan concluded by stating that short, mid, and long-term strategies will be developed in collaboration with agricultural institutions, focused on achieving food security, farm income growth, and export competitiveness.
Keywords: agriculture growth, developed India 2047, $5 trillion economy, $1 trillion agriculture, agri exports, farm exports target, crop yield improvement, foodgrain production, farm R&D, agricultural innovation, germplasm utilization, landholding decline, natural resource optimization, farm productivity, agriculture institutes, agricultural technology, farm sector roadmap, India GDP growth, climate-smart farming.
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