India must invest in agri-tech and soil health to build climate-resilient food systems, say experts

Mumbai: India’s food security and climate resilience will continue to pose challenges unless government policies, farm economics, and technology adoption are reworked and aligned with resource poor farmers in remote areas, according to agri-entrepreneurs and farmer association representatives who spoke at Mint’s Sustainability Summit held in New Delhi recently.

Ajay Vir Jakhar, chairman of Bharat Krishak Samaj, said existing policies that artificially depress food prices have created a cycle of unsustainable farming.

“It’s been the government’s policy to artificially drive down prices to benefit the consumer, and that itself makes farming unsustainable. Farmers grow crops in an unsustainable way not because they want to do it but because the government incentivizes them to do it. The system values production and not sustainable practices,” he said.

According to him, policies such as cheap subsidized fertilizers (like urea) and higher minimum support prices (MSPs) for certain crops keep farming practices unsustainable. “Change must be driven by long-term economic goals,” he said.

Jakhar also pointed to the lack of farmer engagement in economic decision-making, adding that the government is not interested in sustainability but in populist policies.

Small farmers face hurdles

Rangu Rao, chief executive of Safe Harvest, which promotes and supports Indian farmers who use non-pesticide management (NPM) agricultural techniques, highlighted the struggles of smallholder farmers—who form 85% of India’s farming community—in getting recognition for safe and non-chemical food production.

“Nearly 40% of output coming out of farms without chemicals is going unrecognised. Almost 85% of farmers in India are small-hold farmers and for them to access this recognition of following certain practices on their farms is very expensive and complex,” he said.

From access to modern processing technology to high inventory costs, the economics of safe food remains challenging. Retailers often demand higher margins, assuming we make more profits, when in fact our costs are higher at every step, Rao explained.

He added that while consumer awareness about safe and chemical-free food has grown, issues such as financing and market access limit their scale.

Devendra Gupta, co-founder and chief executive of Ecozen Solutions, which develops climate smart solutions like solar pumps and cold rooms for farm use, highlighted the role of technology and renewable energy in bridging productivity gaps.

Tech gap slows progress

“The government has rolled out schemes like PM Kusum Yojana to promote solar pumps, but technological gaps remain. For example, most solar systems shut down when grid voltage dips. India needs solutions designed for India, not borrowed technology that only partially fits our conditions,” Gupta said.

He added that alternatives such as hybrid inverters, affordable cooling systems, and innovative financing models could help expand farmer productivity.

The panel also discussed the issue of genetically modified (GM) crops, especially with the ongoing tariff situation with the US. To be sure, India only permits the commercial cultivation of one GM crop—Bt cotton.

Jakhar called for a level-playing field with regard to GM corn and soybean, which are yet to be allowed for cultivation in India.

“If farmers are not allowed access to a technology, then that produce should not be allowed in. If we are not allowing GM corn or soya bean cultivation in India, then we should not be importing it. Whether to allow farmers to grow GM crops is a political decision, and a decision the government has to take,” he said.

He said India invests less than 1% of its GDP in agriculture research, compared to 6% in Israel. “Our agri research spending in real terms has been shrinking every year for the last 25 years. Without investment in human resources—horticulture experts, veterinary doctors, aquaculture specialists—productivity and sustainability will remain stuck,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rao stressed that India’s soil health is already showing signs of exhaustion in traditional green revolution states.

“Punjab has plateaued in productivity because soils are depleted. But wherever farmers have adopted alternative practices, soils are slowly rejuvenating. Support is needed for this transition,” he said.

Gupta said consistent energy access remains a key enabler for agricultural transformation.

A large part of India’s peak power demand is linked to pumps and cooling devices (air conditioners) and demand is set to grow manifold. “As demand rises, we need both indigenous technology and innovative financing to make climate-smart solutions affordable,” he said.

India’s agriculture and allied sectors contributed about 18.2% to the country’s GDP in 2023-24, according to the year’s Economic Survey. The sector employs 46% of the county’s workforce, reinforcing its prominence in India’s economic activity and employment.

However, unpredictable and erratic weather patterns could threaten India’s agriculture productivity while risking livelihoods and destabilizing food inflation.