Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has called for region-specific agricultural strategies to address India’s diverse farming conditions, while identifying food security, farmer incomes and nutritional security as three key priorities for the sector.
Addressing the Regional Agriculture Conference for the Southern States in Hyderabad, Chouhan said agriculture must remain central to India’s economic and food-security strategy despite rapid advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics.
He said India’s varied agro-climatic conditions, soil characteristics, water availability and farming requirements made it difficult to apply a single agricultural plan across the country. The two-day Rabi conference was expanded to give states greater opportunity to present their concerns and work with the Centre on region-specific agricultural plans.
Chouhan identified three priorities for Indian agriculture: ensuring food security for a population of more than 140 crore, improving farmers’ livelihoods and incomes, and strengthening nutritional security by ensuring access to nutritious food.
He also highlighted the potential of southern India’s horticulture sector, particularly spices, coffee, cashew, cocoa and sandalwood.
Calling for greater focus on agricultural reforms, Chouhan urged states to review outdated laws, rules and procedures affecting farmers and citizens. He said state governments should identify provisions requiring changes and communicate issues that need intervention from the Centre.
The minister also stressed the need to connect Indian agriculture more closely with international markets, particularly in the wake of India’s Free Trade Agreements. He called for studies to identify products in demand globally and urged farmers to produce fruits, vegetables and grains that meet international quality standards.
Chouhan highlighted the strong growth in India’s coconut exports, which rose from ₹4,349 crore to ₹7,038 crore in one year, a 62% increase. He said a new coconut promotion scheme announced in the Union Budget would soon become operational and urged southern states to prepare to make use of it.
He also called for the phased rejuvenation of ageing coconut plantations, noting that older trees can experience declining productivity and quality. States were also urged to prepare for upcoming promotion schemes for cashew and cocoa.
The conference brought together representatives of the Centre and southern states and Union Territories, agricultural experts, ICAR institutions, progressive farmers and other stakeholders to discuss regional priorities and strengthen coordination for sustainable and resilient agriculture.