From soil to sovereignty: How India’s farm frontier shapes its future

In the last decade, India’s farming sector has changed dramatically. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has placed farmers at the centre of his economic and political agenda, calling their welfare his highest priority. Speaking at the centenary celebrations of M.S. Swaminathan, the father of India’s Green Revolution, Modi declared that he would never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen, or livestock rearers — even if it came at a personal cost.

For decades before 2014, Indian farmers struggled with low productivity, poor infrastructure, and limited access to credit. After coming to power, Modi made a series of reforms under the motto Beej se Bazaar Tak (“from seed to market”). His government has focused on direct income support, fair prices, better insurance, irrigation, technology, and global market access — all aimed at making agriculture profitable and sustainable.

Direct support, fair prices, and insurance security

One of the biggest breakthroughs was the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme launched in 2019. It provides ₹6,000 a year directly into the bank accounts of eligible farmers. By August 2025, ₹3.89 lakh crore had reached 11 crore farmers, especially small and marginal ones.

To protect crops from disasters, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) started in 2016. Farmers pay low premiums — 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for horticulture. Since launch, 78.4 crore applications have been insured, and over ₹1.83 lakh crore in claims have been paid to more than 22 crore farmers.

The government also increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 23 crops. Since 2018, the MSP for Kharif crops is at least 1.5 times the cost of production, ensuring farmers a profit margin of 50% or more.

Schemes like the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana target 100 low-performing districts with ₹24,000 crore annually for six years, aiming to improve productivity, diversify crops, and expand irrigation and storage facilities.

Technology, markets, and sustainable farming

Technology has played a key role in this transformation. The Digital Agriculture Mission, approved in 2024 with ₹2,817 crore, builds tools like the Agri Stack (digital IDs for farmers) and the Krishi Decision Support System (satellite and data-driven farming advice).

Soil health has improved through the Soil Health Card Scheme (over 25 crore cards issued) and the use of neem-coated urea, which boosts fertilizer efficiency by 10–15%. Water use has become smarter under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (“Har Khet Ko Paani”), which brought irrigation to 60 lakh hectares and revived 89 old projects.

Markets have opened up with e-NAM (National Agriculture Market), a platform launched in 2016 for online trading across 1,389 mandis in 23 states and 4 UTs. Over ₹3.79 lakh crore worth of produce has been traded by 1.78 crore farmers, 2.62 lakh traders, and 5,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

Post-harvest losses are being cut through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), which funds food processing, storage, and safety testing. This includes 50 food irradiation units, 100 NABL-accredited labs, and a ₹10,000 crore corpus for fisheries, aquaculture, and animal husbandry.

Fighting climate change and promoting natural farming

With climate change threatening crops, the Crop Science for Food and Nutritional Security initiative (₹3,979 crore) is developing resilient varieties. Over 1,900 new crop types, such as water-efficient rice and nutrient-rich millets, have been released in the last decade.

Women farmers are being empowered through the Drone Didi scheme, where self-help groups use drones for precision farming. Natural and organic farming is also expanding, supported by the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and the push for Shri Anna (millets). The UN declared 2023 the International Year of Millets, boosting India’s export potential.

Education, skills, and credit expansion

Modern farming requires modern skills. The Strengthening Agricultural Education, Management, and Social Sciences programme (₹2,291 crore) is upgrading training for students and researchers. The network of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) now exceeds 731, offering training, soil tests, and quality seeds. The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) has trained over 4 crore farmers and rural youth.

Agricultural credit has grown from ₹7.3 lakh crore in 2013–14 to ₹27.5 lakh crore in 2025, giving small farmers easier access to loans.

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Record production and strong trade stance

Foodgrain output hit a record 330.92 million tonnes in 2024–25, up from just 260 million tonnes eleven years ago. The target for 2025–26 is 354.64 million tonnes.

India has also taken a firm stance against importing genetically modified (GM) crops from the US, despite pressure. Modi’s government argues that most countries, including Japan, South Korea, and the EU, protect their farmers with much higher agricultural tariffs than India’s. For example, Japan’s dairy tariffs average 61.3% and can go up to 258% on cereals. India’s average agri-tariffs are around 33%, with a maximum of about 110%, far lower than many developed economies.

By refusing to bow to foreign farm lobbies, Modi is sending a clear message: Nation First. Protecting farmers is not just about economics — it’s about sovereignty, food security, and dignity.

In ten years, Indian agriculture has moved from survival to ambition. The combination of income support, fair pricing, insurance, irrigation, digital tools, sustainable farming, education, and infrastructure has set the stage for long-term growth.

The road ahead is not without challenges — climate change, water scarcity, and global market fluctuations remain real threats. But with political will, strong institutions, and farmer-first policies, India’s agricultural frontier is moving steadily from soil to sovereignty.