The agriculture sector is the backbone of the Indian economy and provides food security. It is important that a turnaround is scripted in the agriculture sector for achieving inclusive growth. In this context, the vision enunciated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022 is undoubtedly praiseworthy and provides an opportunity to take the performance of Indian agriculture to a new level.
However, attaining this target is a complex challenge. Focus on increasing capital formation and strengthening access to technology and market linkages are emerging as some of the key prerequisites for enhancing farmers’ incomes.
CII has aligned its agenda with the Government’s vision of doubling farmers’ incomes and is working through a multi-stakeholder approach to advocate key policy issues in agriculture and food sector. An Expert Group has also been constituted to suggest actionable policy recommendations for this sector.
This edition of Policy Watch focuses on the role of policy reforms, investments and technology in the context of agricultural growth and farmers’ incomes. It also highlights some immediate policy interventions that should be taken up on priority.