NITI Aayog Member and agricultural economist Prof. Ramesh Chand has urged farmers to shift towards crops not covered under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and to prioritise a holistic food system in agricultural planning.

He said this approach is essential for making farmers self-reliant in a Atmanirbhar Bharat. Prof. Chand was addressing a conclave on agriculture, held in New Delhi on Tuesday. Several leading figures from India’s agricultural sector addressed the conclave.

Prof. Chand said, “The government certainly has a role in the development of the agricultural sector, but can farmers take steps on their own for which they currently rely on the government? Only then will farmers truly become self-reliant.” He noted that over the past decade, MSP-linked crops have grown at a rate of 1.8 per cent, while crops without MSP have grown at around 4 per cent.

He said agricultural growth has averaged 4.6 per cent over the past decade, but domestic demand is growing at just about 2 percent. In such a scenario, what should be done with surplus production? A wealthy class with strong purchasing power is growing in the country, he said, and farmers can earn significantly more by cultivating crops that cater to this demand. This will require developing the entire value chain.

He noted that global agricultural planning is now shifting towards a food-system approach, covering the entire value chain from seeds to marketing and distribution. Integration into the value chain, he said, boosts farmers’ incomes.

R S Paroda, Chairman of the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), former Secretary of DARE, and former Director General of ICAR, underlined the need for policies and research focused on smallholder farmers. He said farmers, too, must explore alternatives to achieve self-reliance.

Former union Agriculture and Food Secretary T. Nandakumar stressed the need for adopting a holistic food system in agriculture and raised several important questions. He said that under the vision of a developed India by 2047, focus is largely on manufacturing, technology, and services, but questions must be asked about the role of agriculture and farmers.

He said agriculture contributes 16 per cent to the country’s GDP and supports about 45 per cent of the population. Can this share be reduced to 12 per cent of GDP, and can 45 per cent of the population continue to depend on it? He pointed out that for most farmers, not even half of their income comes from crops. Alternatives must be explored to raise their incomes, and how this will be achieved remains a crucial question. He also highlighted the threat of climate change.

Chandrapal Singh, Vice Chairman of KRIBHCO and President of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Asia-Pacific, underlined the role of cooperatives in agriculture. He said PACS now provide farmers with affordable seeds, fertilisers, and loans, and also help procure their produce. Cooperatives like IFFCO, KRIBHCO, and NAFED are strong enough to compete with multinational companies. He said cooperatives should also be used as channels for implementing government schemes to make farmers self-reliant.