As the planet faces converging crises of hunger, climate upheaval, and rural precarity, India finds itself at a historic crossroads. The legacy of the Green Revolution — once a bulwark against famine — must now evolve into a more inclusive, resilient, and ecologically harmonious transformation: the Evergreen Revolution. Rooted in sustainability, equity, and scientific foresight, this revolution calls for nothing less than a new agricultural compact — both national and global.

At the recent high-level conference on sustainable farming transitions, renowned agricultural scientist Prof. Rudy Rabbinge, Professor-emeritus bij Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University lauded India’s historic role in championing food security, but urged a fundamental shift in priorities. “India led the world once — it must do so again. But this time, the challenge is not only to feed more mouths, but to do so without depleting our future. Productivity remains essential, yes, but the true pivot lies in water stewardship. It is the fulcrum of sustainable agriculture and the antidote to cascading ecological disruptions.”

From Green to Evergreen: A Paradigm Shift in Practice and Policy

Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Andrew Goodland, Program Leader, Africa, AFR, World Bank underscored the urgency for future-ready frameworks that embed climate resilience, digital agriculture, and private sector engagement within the policy DNA. “This is not merely a moment to grow more food — it is a moment to grow better systems. We must empower farmers, fortify markets, and regenerate landscapes, all at once,” he remarked.

Prof. Pratap Singh Birthal, Director, Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP) offered a sobering retrospective of the Green Revolution’s unintended consequences — soil exhaustion, groundwater collapse, and monocultural vulnerability — and called for robust investments in irrigation innovation, market reforms, and diversified cropping. “Without ecological safeguards, productivity gains become pyrrhic victories,” he warned. Dr Birthal offered a candid assessment of the Green Revolution’s paradoxes—drawing both inspiration and caution from Punjab’s agrarian trajectory. He recalled how Dr. M.S. Swaminathan had once presciently asserted that India would be able to feed its burgeoning population—a prophecy fulfilled, in no small part, by Punjab’s early embrace of high-yielding varieties, fertile alluvial soils, and an extensive canal network.

Wheat and rice production in the state rose nearly fivefold, with rice output alone surging by 39 per cent. Yet, this remarkable success came with unintended consequences. As rice cultivation expanded aggressively, pulses and oilseeds were virtually erased from the landscape. Today, Punjab’s entire cultivable area is irrigated, but the irony is stark: canal irrigation has given way to reckless groundwater extraction in a state receiving just 600 mm of rainfall annually.

The overuse of nitrogenous fertilisers has devastated soil health, while state subsidies remain skewed in favour of water-thirsty staples like rice and wheat. For the vision of an evergreen revolution to take root, Dr. Birthal argued, the nation must now pivot toward crop diversification, greater investment and innovation in irrigation management, and robust value chain development for alternative crops. This must be accompanied by structural reforms—such as price deficiency payments, decentralised and targeted procurement, and the liberalisation of interstate trade—all underpinned by a reinvigorated commitment to agricultural R&D.

In a poignant testament to local ingenuity, Nabam Piju from Arunachal Pradesh spotlighted the transformation of Chuliyu village. Nestled in the folds of Arunachal Pradesh’s serene highlands, Chuliyu village stands as a quiet revolution in motion—a luminous testament to the power of grassroots innovation and ecological stewardship. As the first village in the state to embrace agrotourism, Chuliyu has reimagined its agrarian identity for the 21st century, offering discerning travellers not just scenic beauty but immersive experiences rooted in sustainable living. Its famed oranges, bursting with flavour and of export-grade quality, speak volumes of the terroir and toil that define the village.

Once reliant on jhoom cultivation, the community has made a conscious pivot to afforestation and meticulously carved terrace farms, where organically grown large cardamom and kiwi now flourish. Chuliyu also bears the unique distinction of pioneering rural waste management in Arunachal, setting a replicable benchmark for sanitation and circularity. Rainwater harvesting and judicious water conservation are second nature here, while kitchen gardens—abundant and thriving—reinforce the ethos of nutritional self-reliance. More than just a model village, Chuliyu is a microcosm of what India’s agro-ecological future could look like: climate-resilient, community-driven, and quietly radical.

Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, drew attention to the enduring urgency of an “Evergreen Revolution” that places farmers—rather than mere productivity—at its moral and institutional core. He stressed that enhancing farmer incomes must go hand-in-hand with ecological stewardship. To that end, he outlined four pillars for a future-ready agricultural policy framework: climate preparedness, policy coherence (especially given that agriculture is a state subject but implementation is often scheme-driven), social inclusion, and technology adoption. These, he argued, are not optional but existential imperatives if India is to build resilient livelihoods, meet its climate commitments, and foster equitable prosperity in the rural heartland.

Dr. Shambu Prasad, Professor, Strategic Management, IRMA, Anand, Gujarat stressed the imperative of moving beyond conventional agriculture towards landscape-level agroecology, grounded in biodiversity and community agency. “India uses 84 per cent of its freshwater for irrigation, while contributing to precipitous species decline. We must shift to multi-actor agroecological pathways that echo Prof. M.S. Swaminathan’s philosophy of ‘Biohappiness’ — where ecological integrity and human well-being coalesce.” India may be a global agricultural giant, but it remains a reluctant leader in agroecological research.

As the unsustainable footprint of modern farming becomes more apparent—with agriculture implicated in 86 per cent of global species loss and India consuming 8 per cent of its freshwater for irrigation—it is clear that the country must pivot from input-intensity to ecological intelligence. M.S. Swaminathan’s notion of “biohappiness” offers a visionary alternative: food security not as a metric of calories alone, but as a holistic framework centred on nutritional sovereignty, gender equity, and environmental regeneration. His National Commission on Farmers report remains India’s most comprehensive farmer-centric roadmap—more relevant now than ever. In an era shaped by the ethos of the Doughnut Economy, where productivity must be achieved in perpetuity without breaching ecological thresholds, India must reframe agroecology not as a nostalgic return, but as a scientifically grounded transition strategy.

This means embracing landscape and territorial approaches, building state capacity for new policy architectures, and moving beyond natural farming slogans. The National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) holds promise as a real-world laboratory for sustainability transitions—but its success will hinge on rigorous multi-level, multi-actor research. For India to lead, it must not just practice agroecology—it must systematise, scale, and science it.

Reimagining the Agricultural Economy: Farmers First, Always

Dr. Jiju P. Alex, Trustee, MSSRF & Member, Kerala State Planning Board issued a clarion call for structural reforms that restore profitability and dignity to the Indian farmer. “What we need is nothing short of an agrarian renaissance — comprehensive land and tenancy reforms, targeted public investment, decentralised production systems, and smart protectionism to insulate our farmers from global price shocks.” Strengthening farmer producer organisations (FPOs), ensuring easier credit access, and securing fair markets, he said, must become non-negotiable priorities.

Dr. Shubhada Deshmukh , Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch (Forum For Women Farmers’ Rights) – MAKAAM brought critical attention to the often-unrecognised contributions of women farmers, whose holistic approaches to farming — encompassing nutrition gardens, seed sovereignty, and forest-based livelihoods — have proven instrumental in building community resilience. “Women are not just farm labourers or homemakers — they are knowledge keepers, entrepreneurs, and ecological stewards. Our policies must reflect this truth by recognising them as independent farmers, and by earmarking budgets for their leadership,” she asserted.

The Road Ahead: From Moral Imperative to Institutional Mandate

The Evergreen Revolution is more than an agronomic strategy — it is a moral reckoning with the limits of extractive agriculture, an ecological necessity in the Anthropocene, and an economic imperative to revitalise rural India. As Prof. M.S. Swaminathan once said, “If conservation of natural resources goes wrong, nothing else will go right.” His legacy — rooted in the symbiosis of science and social justice — now finds renewed urgency.

India, poised at the fulcrum of demography and democracy, can lead the world not just in producing food, but in producing hope — for farmers, for ecosystems, and for future generations. This will require coordinated national frameworks with state-level adaptability, strong public-private partnerships, and grassroots-led implementation.

As Prof. Rabbinge concluded, “Food security is not a finish line — it is the foundation. India’s next leap must be towards securing that foundation sustainably. The Evergreen Revolution must not only be envisioned — it must be enacted, budgeted, and, above all, cultivated.”