Harvesting Tomorrow: India’s Agricultural Path to 2047

🟤 Thematic Focus: Agriculture | Food Security | Climate Change

Category: General Studies III — Economy, Environment & Sustainable Development
India’s food basket is evolving — but the land beneath it is shrinking. Planning now will feed the future.

🌾 Key Highlights

🔸 A Doubling Demand by 2047

• Food demand expected to more than double.
• Fruits: 233 million tons, Vegetables: 365 million tons, Pulses: 49 million tons.
• Reflects shift toward nutrient-dense, healthy diets.

🔸 Shrinking Land & Fragmented Holdings

• Agricultural land to decline from 180 to 176 million hectares.
• Average landholding to reduce to 0.6 hectares.
• Net sown area down, while cropping intensity rises to 170%.

🔸 Strategic Crop Diversification Needed

• Shift needed from rice/wheat dominance to vegetables, fruits, pulses, oilseeds.
• Resource allocation must adapt to nutritional priorities over traditional staples.

🔸 Economic Leap Essential

• India needs 8% annual GDP growth to meet demand and support 1.6 billion people.
• Urbanisation to rise, changing dietary patterns and increasing market access challenges.

🔸 Environmental & Water Challenges

• Agriculture to demand 18% more water by 2047.
• Already consumes 83% of India’s freshwater.
• Need for efficient irrigation, climate-smart practices, and energy-efficient farming.

🔸 Climate Risks & Productivity Losses

• Extreme weather events have reduced productivity by 25% in 50 years.
• More droughts, floods, and heatwaves forecast.
• Threat to yield stability and food security.

🧭 A Whispering Thought

“The soil remembers every footstep — but it asks for water, wisdom, and time. Are we planting crops or consequences?”

🌱 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk

India’s journey to 2047 will be shaped not by how much food it grows, but how wisely it grows it. The future of agriculture is no longer just about feeding mouths — it’s about nourishing minds, sustaining rivers, and resisting tempests. Let the next green revolution be one of balance, not burden.