NEW DELHI, 23 December 2025: Indian farmers will play a decisive role in securing the country’s food future as demand rises sharply over the coming decades, the Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) said on Tuesday, outlining a multi-pronged reform agenda to strengthen agriculture.
Speaking ahead of Kisan Divas 2025, FAIFA organised a national seminar in New Delhi focused on rising food demand and economic growth imperatives. The event brought together farmers, policymakers, agricultural experts and lawmakers.
FAIFA released a white paper warning that India’s food system faces mounting pressure from population growth expected to exceed 1.6 billion by 2050, rising incomes, shifting diets and shrinking farmland due to urbanisation and fragmentation.
The paper proposed a four-pillar strategy to build a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector, including large-scale adoption of permaculture, export diversification, preservation of non-GMO crops and reforms in agricultural finance.
FAIFA recommended an investment of 100 billion rupees between 2026 and 2030 to bring 5 million hectares under permaculture-based farming, aimed at cutting fertiliser use and improving soil health.
It also called for 150 billion rupees to boost agricultural exports to $100 billion by 2030 through new agri-export zones, cold-chain infrastructure and value addition in high-value crops such as horticulture, spices and floriculture.
To safeguard India’s non-GMO status, the paper proposed allocating 50 billion rupees to expand indigenous seed varieties and develop climate-resilient crops, while urging a revamp of farm financing through AI-driven digital lending to improve credit access for small and marginal farmers.
Minister of State for Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma said government policies were focused on empowering farmers through technology, infrastructure and market access, adding that FAIFA’s proposals aligned with India’s long-term development vision.
FAIFA president Murali Babu said ensuring food security amid population growth and regional dietary diversity was a strategic imperative for national stability, with farmers at the centre of that effort.
The seminar concluded that coordinated policies, sustainable practices and advanced technologies were essential to meet future food demand while ensuring farm incomes remain viable.
