In the last 75 years, Indian agriculture has quietly scripted one of the greatest transformation stories in the nation’s history. When India gained independence, food shortages were a harsh reality and feeding millions was a daily struggle. It was the resilience of Indian farmers, supported by visionary agricultural research, that saved the country from hunger.

Today, as India marches toward the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, every sector—defense, industry, infrastructure, and services—is preparing for that goal. The question before us is, can agricultural research rise once again to meet the challenge of a new era?

Agriculture now faces a twin challenge. It must deliver growth by increasing farmers’ income while simultaneously ensuring sustainability through safe food production and the protection of soil and environmental health. In the 1960s, agricultural research delivered food security.

By 2016, the focus had shifted to nutritional security. Over the decades, fruit and vegetable production has surpassed food grain output. India has moved from deficiency to sufficiency, and in many crops to surplus, with rice production exceeding demand by nearly 20 percent, wheat by 7 percent, and maize by 15 percent. Farmers are increasingly turning towards commercial crops and value addition, signaling a shift from subsistence to enterprise.

Farmer centric

However, the idea of Agriculture research must now evolve from being nation-centric to truly farmer-centric. During the Green Revolution, the primary objective was national food security, and its benefits were largely concentrated in a few northern states. Today, the need is for pan-Bharat research that reflects the diversity of Indian agriculture. True farmer-centric research requires better coordination between those who create value and those who capture it.

A telling example comes from Guntur. While I working as an R&D lead for vegetables in a multinational company, there was a proposal to develop single-harvest chilli varieties for mechanization, similar to systems in China and Korea. At a farmer meeting in Guntur, the idea was presented. A small farmer stood up and explained that the region frequently faces cyclones during the cropping season.

With three harvests, farmers at least secure one good yield despite adverse weather. A single-harvest variety would increase risk. That simple intervention prevented unnecessary research expenditure and reinforced an essential truth: innovation must respond to farmers’ realities, not just technological possibilities.

Technology disruptions

Technology itself is evolving at remarkable speed. Modern technologies are based on Traits and are organism neutral (with in agriculture). From conventional breeding to molecular breeding and now predictive or data-driven breeding, agricultural science has transformed dramatically. The Green Revolution was the result of conventional breeding. Molecular breeding later strengthened nutritional security, and many leading vegetable hybrids today have emerged from advanced genomic techniques. Technologies such as genetically modified crops and gene editing offer promise, yet no technology is universal. Each has strengths and limitations. In cotton, farmers embraced GM traits because they delivered value. In other crops, similar approaches failed when they did not align with farmer needs. The lesson remains consistent—traits must generate tangible benefits at the farm level.

The scientific approach has also changed fundamentally. Conventional breeding relied on developing variability and gradually selecting desirable traits. Modern science often begins with identifying a specific trait and then synthesizing it with precision. This transformation demands new skill sets, advanced laboratories, and constant upgradation of infrastructure. Facilities can quickly become outdated, and researchers must continuously adapt. To remain efficient and agile, Agriculture research need to adopt hub-and-spoke models, where centralized high-end infrastructure supports decentralized field-level implementation.

Agronomy, too, has evolved towards sustainable agriculture. Farmers today follow diverse systems, including chemical, regenerative, organic, and natural farming approaches. All contribute to safe and sustainable food production in different ways. The concept of soil testing has matured into soil wellness, recognizing that we are not merely feeding plants but nurturing the soil ecosystem. National efforts to double farmers’ income have shifted agriculture from yield-focused thinking to stability-based farming, emphasizing income per unit area rather than output alone.

Team work

Agricultural research has also become deeply collaborative. In the 1960s, towering individual scientists shaped the discipline. Today, innovation depends on teamwork. A breeder works alongside experts in genomics, marker discovery, germplasm management, phenomics, data analytics, speed breeding, and double haploid technologies. The breeder is no longer a solitary figure but part of a multidisciplinary team delivering solutions to the field. Institutions must increasingly operate in project mode, with coordinated leadership guiding integrated missions.

Looking ahead to Viksit Bharat, agricultural research must restructure itself around broad national themes that anticipate future challenges. ICAR institutes, state agriculture research institutes and private research institutes should work on these broad-based themes. Climate change demands heat-tolerant varieties and stronger root systems through innovations such as grafting and shuttle breeding. Stress management must address both biotic and abiotic pressures. Resource management requires mechanization suited to small farms, efficient water and nutrient use, biological inputs, and intelligent application of artificial intelligence. Supply chain transformation must enable farm-gate value addition, quality management, export readiness and market intelligence. Last year rate is not the reality of this year.

Global competition underscores the urgency. Turkey transports vegetables across Europe over several days. China grows vegetables in Hainan Island and supplies distant cities. Sunny green houses, plastic tunnels, and grafting technologies in vegetables, directly enhancing small farmers’ livelihoods in China. India must chart its own path, strengthening smallholders rather than adopting models suited only to large farms.

Defining central research themes should be as rigorous and consultative as the national budget process. State and central-level deliberations must involve farmers, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, state agriculture and horticulture departments, NGOs, and both public and private research institutions. Research must anticipate problems before they intensify, ensuring that solutions reach farmers at the right time.

New ways of working can bring cost efficiency, resilience, agility, and faster technology adoption. Infrastructure can be used more effectively, and results can reach the field more quickly. Ultimately, the goal is a truly farmer-centric research system aligned with national aspirations.

As India advances toward 2047, agriculture once again stands at a decisive moment. More than funding, it is strategy, clarity of purpose, and unwavering determination that will shape the journey. Seventy-five years ago, agricultural research helped secure India’s food future. In the coming decades, it can help secure India’s prosperity.

The writer is a retired agricultural scientist

Published on April 2, 2026