Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan participates in the 10th National Convention of Agrivision in Delhi

Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare

प्रविष्टि तिथि: 14 OCT 2026 6:21PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed the 10th National Convention of Agrivision at Pusa, Delhi, today. He said that, while further improving farmers’ livelihoods, India would no longer remain limited to meeting its own food requirements but would emerge as the ‘food basket’ of the entire world in the coming years. He made it clear that strict measures would be taken to curb the proliferation of private agricultural colleges operating without proper standards and issuing fake degrees. An Agriculture Council would soon be established to regulate these institutions and bring greater accountability to agricultural education. The government’s focus would be on ensuring quality in agricultural education, safeguarding students’ futures and strengthening the contribution of agriculture to the country’s development.

From an era of scarcity to self-reliance and record production

In his address, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted the journey of Indian agriculture, recalling a time when the country had to depend on imported foodgrains under the PL-480 programme. Today, however, through the hard work of Indian farmers and the adoption of modern policies, the country has achieved complete self-reliance in foodgrain production. Between 2014 and 2024, India’s total agricultural production increased by 49 per cent. The country now ranks first in the world in rice production and exports, while it ranks second in wheat production. He emphasised that the challenge before India was no longer simply to increase production. Instead, the focus must shift towards scientific storage, efficient management and expanding exports to global markets. Strengthening these areas would help ensure that the country makes the best possible use of its agricultural output while creating further opportunities for farmers.

“You bring forth the nectar of ideas; we will formulate policies and implement them”

Shri Shivraj Chouhan described the expertise of students and farmers’ organisations as particularly important in the policymaking process. Calling upon the experts and students attending the convention to contribute their ideas and insights, the Union Minister said, “Deliberate in depth at this national convention and bring forth the nectar in the form of your conclusions. The government will take responsibility for sharing these ideas in the national interest and implementing them.” He emphasised that the discussions should lead to practical recommendations capable of contributing to agricultural development and addressing the challenges faced by farmers and students. Announcing a follow-up meeting, he said he would meet the representatives again within the next 15 days to one month to develop a detailed action plan based on the convention’s conclusions. The follow-up discussions would focus directly on developing and implementing both short-term and long-term plans, ensuring that the recommendations emerging from the convention translated into concrete action.

Safeguarding the future of agricultural students is the top priority

Emphasising the need to raise the standard of agricultural education, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Chouhan said that no institution would be permitted to operate merely as a business that collected fees and distributed degrees without maintaining appropriate standards. The government would ensure that technical qualifications pursued by young people, including Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSc Agriculture) and Master of Science in Agriculture (MSc Agriculture), retained their value and were not rendered useless. He stressed the importance of protecting students’ investments of time, effort and money in their education by ensuring that agricultural institutions provided meaningful and credible qualifications. The proposed regulatory measures would seek to prevent the proliferation of substandard colleges and fake degrees while helping maintain the quality and credibility of agricultural education. The objective is to ensure that students receive an education that supports their future prospects and enables them to contribute effectively to the agricultural sector.

An ‘integrated farming’ model for small farmers

Referring to India’s average landholding size of just 0.96 hectares, Shri Chouhan said that diversification was essential to increase the incomes of small and marginal farmers. Their livelihoods could be made more secure and prosperous by integrating multiple agricultural activities rather than depending solely on grain cultivation. Alongside foodgrain production, farmers should be encouraged to take up fruit and vegetable cultivation, medicinal plant farming, animal husbandry, fisheries, beekeeping and natural farming. Integrating these activities would help diversify income sources, reduce dependence on a single crop and strengthen the economic security of farming households. He also highlighted the need to accelerate the adoption of modern technologies in agriculture. Efforts were being stepped up to integrate artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and robotics into farming, helping modernise agricultural practices and improve their efficiency. Combining diversified farming systems with technological advancements would support efforts to enhance productivity and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

During the programme, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan released a special booklet documenting Agrivision’s 10-year journey. A large number of agricultural scientists, researchers and students from across the country attended the national convention. Their participation provided an opportunity for experts and young people associated with agriculture to engage in discussions on the sector’s challenges, future priorities and development opportunities.

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