Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India is set to be the world’s food basket while improving the farmers livelihood. He said this while addressing the 10th National Convention of Agrivision today in Delhi. With the increase of food production by 49 percent between 2014 and 2024, the minister highlighted that Indian agriculture has transcended an era of scarcity to self-reliance and record production by becoming world’s largest rice producer.
During the convention, Mr. Chouhan also emphasised on diversifying agriculture to enhance farmers’ incomes and economic security. He encouraged farmers to integrate multiple agricultural activities rather than depending solely on grain cultivation. By including horticulture, medicinal plants, animal husbandry, fisheries, beekeeping and natural farming alongside food grain production, the farmers can diversify their income sources. The minister also highlighted the adoption of AI, machine learning and robotics to modernize farming, improve efficiency and boost productivity.
At the convention, the agriculture minister also released a special booklet documenting Agrivision’s 10-year journey at the convention. A large number of agricultural scientists, researchers and students from across the country have attended the convention.
Talking about the contemporary issues of the proliferation of private agricultural colleges operating without proper standards and issuing fake degrees, he said there will be an Agriculture Council to keep a check on them. He also assured that Agricultural students’ degrees will not be allowed to go to waste. He highlighted that the government is determined to ensure quality in agricultural education and to safeguard students’ future.
