India’s Agriculture Policy Is A Fusion Of ‘Back To Basics’ And ‘March To Future': PM Modi At G20 Meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (16 June) said that India's policy in the agriculture sector is a fusion of 'back to basics' and 'march to future'.

Addressing the G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meet via video message, PM Modi said that agriculture is at the heart of human civilisation.

He said that the responsibilities of an Agriculture Minister are not only limited to handling one sector of the economy but extend towards securing the future of humanity.

The Prime Minister noted that agriculture provides a livelihood for over 2.5 billion people globally and accounts for almost 30 percent of GDP and over 60 percent of jobs in the Global South. 

Underlining the challenges faced by the Global South today, PM Modi Minister stated the impact of the pandemic and the worsening geopolitical tension disrupting the supply chain.

He also touched upon climate change causing extreme weather events more and more frequently.

The Prime Minister also highlighted that India is promoting both natural as well as technology-enabled farming.

Throwing light on India's contribution in the agricultural sector, PM Modi said, "I want to share with you what India is doing in this most vital sector. Our policy is a fusion of 'back to basics' and 'march to future'. We are promoting Natural Farming as well as Technology-enabled Farming".

"Farmers all over India are taking up natural farming now. They are not using synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. Their focus is on rejuvenating the mother earth, protecting soil health, producing 'per drop, more crop', and promoting organic fertilisers and pest management solutions," he said, according to a PMO release.

"At the same time, our farmers are proactively using technology to boost productivity. They are generating and using solar power on their farms. They are using Soil Health Cards to optimise crop selection, and drones to spray nutrients and monitor their crops," he said.

PM Modi expressed the belief that this ‘fusion approach’ is the best way to address several issues in agriculture.