If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right in the country,” remarked Dr. M.S. Swaminathan—widely considered the father of India’s Green Revolution. Even though the sector contributes 18 per cent to India’s GDP and employs around 40 per cent of the workforce, the everyday realities for much of the farming community remain sobering: fluctuating incomes, fragmented landholdings, and uncertain market access continue to undercut the promise of India’s agrarian sector. As the nation aspires to be a $5 trillion economy, can agriculture evolve into a genuinely profitable and sustainable enterprise?
For decades, government interventions—be it subsidies, minimum support prices (MSP), or loan waivers—have been reactionary in nature offering point-in-time relief rather than addressing the root cause of distress in agriculture. Despite these measures, the sector remains unprofitable, a reality underscored by the fact that nearly 45 per cent of young adults (as per a CSDS survey in 2014) from farming households prefer non-agricultural jobs, citing unreliable earnings and limited growth opportunities. Even those who own land increasingly seek alternative livelihoods, reflecting a deep-seated lack of confidence in farming as a sustainable occupation. This clearly indicates that the state’s role must evolve beyond being purely reactive to actively driving systemic and long-term reforms. India’s small and marginal farmers—who make up about 86 per cent of the country’s farming community—often see farming as merely an act of subsistence. However, the first step toward agricultural transformation begins with a fundamental mindset shift—from being sustenance farmers to becoming ‘Atmanirbhar Annadatas.’
At the government’s end, a more forward-looking approach is the need of the hour, where governments pivot into a facilitator’s role, creating policies and digital frameworks that enable greater private-sector participation in agriculture while investing in building the right infrastructure—rural roads, internet connectivity, and transparent regulatory systems.
To support this transition, the government must recognize this as a governance problem, shaping policies that empower farmers with the necessary knowledge and tools. Governments can enable facilitation between private players and farmers by creating strong data pipelines and tools, which serve as Digital Public Infrastructure. This infrastructure can be leveraged by the government to enable design of strategic interventions such as service delivery & data-backed policy decisions. The digital infrastructure also helps the private ecosystem to deliver targeted services such as credit access, precision farming advisories, and supply chain logistics.
Farmer registries like Krushak Odisha from Odisha & FRUITS from Karnataka have paved way for this. In Odisha, an entire tech stack of tools like the department facing Decision Support System and farmer facing tools such as GO-SUGAM, Krushak Odisha Unified Portal, Krushi Samrudhi Advisory System, have been created. These modular tools can be integrated with the private ecosystem. Odisha has also been among the first states to have its own data sharing framework which is specific to agricultural data and based on the principles given in the DPDP Act, 2023.
At its very core, the government must enable continuous tracking of this data for accountability and to refine interventions, so farmers need not rely on individual officials and the system itself prompts them on the right course of action. Verified records unlock easier access to loans, insurance, and market linkages, mitigating risk against climate shocks and economic downturns.
If the essential building blocks—such as reliable data repositories, farmer registries, and digital public infrastructures—are established at scale, it becomes technically feasible to leverage satellite imagery for identifying the crops grown on each plot. In theory, AI-based advisories could then guide farmers on optimal sowing periods, input management, and pest control strategies. Rather than supplanting local department officials, these tools could serve as additional points of support, helping government departments refine their interventions and remain accountable through more consistent data-tracking. Crucially, verified digital records would also help streamline access to loans, insurance, and market linkages, potentially mitigating the financial vulnerabilities caused by climate volatility or unexpected market shifts.
This vision might materialize further through an ONDC-like digital platform designed to connect farmers directly with buyers—allowing for more transparent pricing, efficient scheduling, and potentially fairer negotiations. The government’s core function in this scenario would shift toward facilitating and regulating these transactions, enforcing data protection, and rigorously evaluating the outcomes of such programs. While this future remains aspirational, elements of it are beginning to unfold in pockets across India. States like Odisha have already initiated efforts to centralize data, digitize records, and experiment with integrated farmer tools—laying some of the groundwork for a broader transformation. If built upon and scaled thoughtfully, these efforts under the Digital Agriculture Mission could pave the way for stronger partnerships among farmers, government agencies, and private enterprises, ultimately pushing Indian agriculture toward greater resilience and profitability.
India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat, hinges on agricultural modernization. This requires reimagining both the government’s role and farmers’ mindsets. From building digital pipelines to fostering micro-entrepreneurship, each step contributes to making farming profitable, sustainable, and attractive to the next generation.
The question is no longer whether India should embark on this transformation—it is whether we will seize this moment to accelerate it. With the right policy interventions and technological investments, agriculture can remain at the heart of India’s economic and social fabric, not as a sector of distress but as one of boundless opportunity.
