7 Imperatives to Build a Viksit Agri Economy by 2047/2047 तक विकसित कृषि अर्थव्यवस्था बनाने के लिए 7 अनिवार्य कदम:

7 Imperatives to Build a Viksit Agri Economy by 2047

1. Leveraging AI in Agriculture:

• India is exploring AI for weather forecasting, pest control, and crop yield optimization, but adoption remains limited to a small subset of tech-savvy farmers.
• Global Example: Generative AI in the US and Europe provides precision farming at scale with real-time agronomic insights.
• Way Forward: Develop vernacular AI platforms for smallholder farmers, partner with AgTechs for affordable AI solutions, and integrate AI advisory services into government programs.

2. Promoting Regenerative Farming Practices:

• Practices like organic farming and zero-budget natural farming exist in pockets, while excessive chemical use dominates, leading to soil degradation.
• Global Example: France and the US lead in regenerative agriculture through structured policies, farmer incentives, and R&D.
• Way Forward: Establish a national regenerative farming policy and encourage private sector-led R&D for cost-effective agro-ecology practices.

3. Boosting Robotics and Automation:

• Adoption is limited due to high costs and abundant rural labor. Basic tools like seeders and sprayers are more common, while robotic harvesters remain inaccessible.
• Way Forward: Develop low-cost robotics tailored for small farms, establish AgTech hubs for testing and deployment, and promote public-private partnerships to scale innovation.

4. Scaling Alternative Protein Market:

• India’s alternative protein sector is nascent, driven by startups, but faces affordability and scalability challenges.
• Global Example: The EU leads in alternative proteins through government-backed initiatives and advanced R&D.
• Way Forward: Collaborate with global leaders to improve production and formulation techniques and raise public awareness about lab-grown proteins.

5. Advancing Digital Twin Technology:

• Field trials in India are manual and costly, delaying the deployment of crop technologies.
• Global Example: The US uses digital twins to model field trials virtually, reducing costs and speeding up launches.
• Way Forward: Partner with AgTechs to pilot digital twin projects, train researchers in digital modeling, and explore tax incentives for investing in these solutions.

6. Scaling Blockchain in Agriculture:

• Blockchain adoption is experimental, with pilot projects focused on food traceability. Lack of infrastructure and awareness hinder progress.
• Global Example: China integrates blockchain across agricultural supply chains, ensuring transparency, reducing fraud, and improving market access.
• Way Forward: Focus on export crops to scale blockchain, improving price realization for farmers.

7. Expanding Climate-Smart Farming Techniques:

• Existing initiatives like PM-KUSUM promote renewable energy for irrigation, but large-scale adoption of climate-smart methods is limited.
• Way Forward: Scale up micro-irrigation technologies, invest in climate-resilient seed varieties and bio-based crop protection products, and use AI to develop localized climate advisory systems.

Conclusion:

India must embrace innovation, foster public-private collaborations, and tailor global best practices to its unique agri context. Strategic investments, policy reforms, and grassroots engagement are essential to modernize Indian agriculture and ensure smallholder farmers benefit from a sustainable, technologically advanced future.