Major Reforms Proposed to Boost Farm Productivity and Sustainability in India

Member of Parliament Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday presented the 27th to 32nd reports of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing in the Lok Sabha, outlining a wide-ranging reform roadmap for India’s agriculture sector. The Committee, in its report on the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, recommended a significant increase in budgetary allocation to address persistent challenges such as climate change, fragmented landholdings, and supply chain disruptions that continue to affect farmers’ incomes and long-term sustainability. A major recommendation includes the introduction of AI-enabled real-time dashboards along with quarterly monitoring systems to ensure timely utilisation of funds and faster resolution of projects pending for over six months. The panel also emphasised the need to maintain a growth rate of over 15 percent in capital formation in agriculture. It highlighted the importance of sustained investments in rural infrastructure, skill development, and institutional strengthening to improve productivity and enhance food security. In a key move towards inclusivity, the Committee proposed expanding the department’s mandate to include farm labourers. It recommended the introduction of social security measures such as pensions, accident insurance under schemes like Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, and maternity benefits for this vulnerable workforce. On sustainable farming, the panel suggested providing financial incentives ranging from ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 per farmer for a period of three years to support natural and organic farming practices. It also recommended promoting native seed varieties and proposed the establishment of dedicated boards for crops such as jackfruit, tamarind, and jamun. The report further called for strengthening the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana by extending coverage to include post-harvest losses for up to four weeks. It also proposed the use of advanced technologies such as drones and mobile applications for faster assessment of crop damage. Additionally, the Committee recommended setting up at least one Krishi Vigyan Kendra in every district and ensuring annual training programmes for farmers. It also stressed the need to strengthen e-NAM by introducing unified trading licences, digital quality certification, and escrow-based payment systems. To improve efficiency in soil management, the panel suggested reducing the delivery time of Soil Health Cards to less than a week through the use of technologies such as satellite imaging and Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). Overall, the recommendations indicate a strategic shift towards a technology-driven, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural ecosystem aimed at enhancing farmers’ incomes and ensuring long-term resilience in the sector.