India celebrates Kisan Diwas 2025 today with Focus on Smart Solutions

National Farmers’ Day (Kisan Diwas) is celebrated in India on December 23 every year. This day commemorates the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, whose legacy remains closely associated with agrarian reforms and farmer empowerment in the country. This year’s Kisan Diwas centers on the theme: "Empowering ‘Annadatas’ for a prosperous nation through Smart Solutions." It is apt to review the sector and its updates which would benefit farmers, and march ahead for Viksith Bharath-2047 with renewed energy.  The occasion comes at a time when Indian agriculture stands at a crossroads—record production and rising budgetary support on one side, and mounting climate stress, fragmented landholdings, and income instability on the other.

Agriculture remains India’s largest employer, engaging about 46 per cent of the workforce -around a quarter of the total population. This includes cultivators, agricultural laborers, and others whose primary employment is in agriculture. Though agriculture contributes less than one-fifth of India’s GDP, it continues to support the livelihoods of nearly half the country’s workforceincluding farming households and dependents. 

Agriculture and allied activities continue to be a critical pillar of the Indian economy, contributing around 18.2 per cent to Gross Value Added (GVA), and supporting the livelihoods of nearly half-of-the population. Foodgrain production has remained robust, with total output crossing 330 million tonnes in recent agricultural cycles, reinforcing India’s food security even amid global disruptions. Despite higher production levels, small and marginal farmers—who make up over 80 per cent of cultivators—continue to struggle with rising input costs, weather uncertainty, and limited storage facilities. 

Climate change has emerged as the most significant long-term risk to farmers. For example, research indicates that each 1°C rise in average temperature can reduce wheat yields by 4–5 per cent. The country has witnessed erratic monsoon patterns across the country including Telugu states which resulted in increased crop losses across rain-fed regions. Unseasonal rains and heatwaves have led to frequent yield shocks, forcing farmers to rely heavily on insurance and government relief. Since its launch in 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has covered over 2,300 lakh farmer applications, with claims worth nearly ₹1.9 lakh crore disbursed, highlighting both the scale of risk and the growing dependence on safety nets. The farmers are advised to mitigate climate changes with the aid of smart-technologies and climate-resilient crop varieties to achieve climate resilient and sustainable agriculture.

Land fragmentation remains another persistent constraint. Nearly 86 per cent of Indian farmers are small and marginal, cultivating less than two hectares of land. Such small holdings limit mechanization, reduce access to formal credit, and weaken farmers’ bargaining power in markets. Though the government is promoting extensively Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to aggregate smallholders and improve scale efficiencies, their performance remains uneven. Since 2020, the Farmer Producer Cooperatives (FPCs) showed explosive growth 35,332 in four years out of which 15% are female-led. Unless farmers come together under one umbrella like FPCs or FPOs, for production activities, the input costs won’t be reduced. 

Value Addition and Diversification is suggested to improve the farmers’ income. Post-harvest losses further erode farmer incomes. Estimates suggest that 20–30 per cent of fruits and vegetables are lost annually due to inadequate storage, cold-chain facilities, and processing infrastructure. This forces farmers into distress sales immediately after harvest, when prices are at their lowest. Policy experts stress that investment in decentralized storage, village-level processing units, and value addition could raise farm-gate prices by 30–40 per cent, while also generating rural employment. Dairy, fisheries, poultry, and beekeeping, etc., together account for a growing share of agricultural income, with data showing that farmers engaged in allied sectors experience around 25 per cent higher income stability than those dependent solely on crops. 

The rollout of AgriStack, India’s digital public infrastructure for agriculture, aims to link land records, crop data, and service delivery through unique Farmer IDs. Over 6.8 crore Farmer IDs have already been generated, still open, with the stated objective of reducing delays in credit, insurance, and subsidy transfers. Early assessments suggest that digital integration can significantly cut transaction times, but the digital divide remains a major concern. Limited internet connectivity, low digital literacy, and inadequate extension support continue to restrict adoption, particularly in remote and tribal regions.

Agritech & Digital Transformation: The sector is witnessing a massive agritech anddigitaltransformation. From AI-powered farming to drone technology, innovation is redefining how farmers grow, protect, and sell their crops. These advancements are not only increasing productivity but also making farming smarter, sustainable, and more profitable. Many Artificial Intelligence (AI) apps are advocating various problems in and around agriculture by giving the right solutions in regional languages. As of mid-2023, there were 5,577 agriculture-related startups officially recognized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).  

Inclusive growth in the agri-sector is much desired with more women and youth participation in the years to come to realize higher farm incomes and wellbeing, and for high productivity with fewer inputs. 

- Aneeja Guttikonda Chief Technical Officer (Communications)ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) Hyderabad