Agriculture emerges as growth engine for ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047’: Report

Key government initiatives — including expanded irrigation, wider crop insurance coverage, increased access to credit through Kisan Credit Cards, growth in agri-financing, and the integration of over 1,500 mandis on the e-NAM platform

• Agriculture drives India's push for developed nation status by 2047
• Farm incomes doubled in a decade; allied sectors like fisheries grew rapidly
• Govt initiatives and changing food habits boost sector resilience and growth

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India is firmly pursuing its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, or “Viksit Bharat @ 2047”, with agriculture emerging as a key driver of this transformation, according to a recent report authored by Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog.

Prof. Chand said the vision of a developed India rests on two core pillars — raising per capita income to developed-country levels and ensuring inclusive growth, or “Sabka Vikas.” He stressed that agriculture must remain central to this journey, given that the sector contributes nearly 20 per cent of national income and employs 46 per cent of India’s workforce, with women accounting for almost two-thirds of agricultural workers.

The report highlights that India’s agriculture and allied sectors recorded their fastest growth phase between 2015–16 and 2024–25, with average annual growth of around 4.45 per cent — the highest in the country’s history and stronger than other major agricultural economies, including China. Notably, farm incomes did not see a single year of negative growth during this period, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, underlining the sector’s growing resilience.

Allied activities such as livestock, fisheries and forestry outperformed traditional crop farming, with fisheries alone growing close to 9 per cent annually. High-value segments like fruits, spices, fodder and pulses expanded much faster than cereals, reflecting a shift in India’s farm economy towards diversification and higher returns.

The structure of agriculture has also changed significantly. The share of crops in total agricultural output has declined, while livestock, fisheries and horticulture have gained ground. Farmer incomes rose sharply, increasing by more than 100 per cent over the past decade, supported by better prices, improved market access and policy interventions.

Key government initiatives — including expanded irrigation, wider crop insurance coverage, increased access to credit through Kisan Credit Cards, growth in agri-financing, and the integration of over 1,500 mandis on the e-NAM platform — have played a major role in this turnaround. India has also consolidated its position as the world’s largest milk producer and the biggest exporter of rice.

On the demand side, changing food habits are reshaping agriculture, with consumption rising sharply for fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and dry fruits, while sugar intake has declined. The report projects food demand to grow by up to 3 per cent annually, with India likely to have a surplus of nearly 20 per cent by 2035 if current trends continue.

Summing up, Prof. Chand noted that the last decade marks a defining phase for Indian agriculture — one that combines strong growth, greater stability, rising incomes and higher participation of women. Together, these trends, the report says, position agriculture as a cornerstone in achieving the national vision of “Viksit Bharat @ 2047.”