Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India is a food surplus country and engaged in providing solutions for global food security and global nutrition security. He said, the government is strengthening the agriculture sector with reforms and measures aimed at improving the lives of farmers. Addressing the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists in New Delhi today, Mr Modi said, agriculture is the center of government’s economic policy. He said, India is the largest producer of Millets, milk, pulses and spices. The Prime Minister said, India is promoting chemical-free natural farming. He said, in the Union Budget 2024-25, there is a big focus on sustainable agriculture. Mr Modi said, the government has provided one thousand 900 new climate-resilient varieties of crops in the last ten years. He said, India is using digital technology in the agriculture sector and under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, funds are transferred in the bank accounts of ten crore farmers by one click. Prime Minister Modi pointed to a robust system of agriculture research and education in India. Mr Modi informed that there are more than 500 colleges for agriculture education and more than 700 Krishi Vigyan Kendras are providing information about new technology to the farmers. He informed that in the last ten years, ninety lakh hectares of land were brought under micro irrigation. The Prime Minister also touched upon a huge campaign for the digitisation of land where farmers will be given a digital identification number for their land, and promotion of drones in farming where drone didis are trained to operate drones. Mr Modi further added that these steps will not only benefit the farmers of India but also strengthen global food security. AIR correspondent reports that around one thousand delegates from around 75 countries are taking part in the International Conference of Agricultural Economists. The theme for this year’s conference is – Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems. The conference aims to tackle the pressing need for sustainable agriculture in the face of global challenges such as climate change, natural resource degradation, rising production costs and conflicts. Speaking on the occasion, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India’s agricultural growth rate has consistently been the highest in the world. Mr Chouhan highlighted the adverse effects of excessive chemical fertilizer use, which has led to deteriorating soil health. He said, India is now emphasizing natural farming. Mr Chouhan stressed the need to completely eradicate hunger and malnutrition, tackle the threats of climate change, and address the serious issue of declining production due to rising temperatures.
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