Technology-led smart agriculture holds the key to building a Viksit Bharat, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand said on Tuesday. "The agri-tech landscape is evolving rapidly, from genetic modification and precision farming to data science and ICT-based advisory systems," Chand said, while addressing an Assocham event here.
He said farmers today must have access to capital, knowledge and partnerships that enable them to adapt to this transformation. "Every technology brings both a solution and a challenge; we must ensure that innovation also respects sustainability and environmental balance," Chand said, adding that India is not just a food-secure nation, but one moving towards value addition and climate-smart agriculture.
The Niti Ayog member said 46 per cent of the country's population is employed in the agricultural sector, making it the largest contributor to the Viksit Bharat mission with significant growth observed in Tier-II regions like Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
Agriculture Commissioner Praveen Kumar Singh said the focus must be on making agriculture both productive and sustainable. Platforms like upag.gov.in are integrating agri statistics, crop yield, crop insurance and Kisan Credit Card data to ensure informed decision-making, he said.
Waste-to-wealth initiatives, like converting crop residues into CBG, and schemes like KUSUM are linking energy efficiency with crop cultivation. "With digital agriculture and real-time intelligence, we are working to make data available in farmers' local languages, enabling every farmer to benefit from technology-driven solutions," Praveen added.
Also read: Assocham report calls for unified agri-tech ecosystem
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