Coimbatore – Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar spoke at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, saying it’s time for India’s farming goals to shift from just having enough food to making farmers wealthy. He stressed that farmers should be more than just producers and should become entrepreneurs.
He noted that even though 46% of Indians work in agriculture, it only contributes 16% to the country’s economy. Dhankhar encouraged TNAU to follow the example of Dr. M S Swaminathan, a famous agricultural scientist, to increase agriculture’s importance to India’s economy.
India is now a major exporter of agricultural goods, making over 11% of total exports. “We have moved past worrying only about food security; now it’s time to focus on farmer prosperity,” Dhankhar said.
He emphasized the need to connect research with farming so that innovations help farmers directly. “Research should be useful and must help farmers in real ways,” he added. Dhankhar also mentioned that India has 6,000 agricultural startups, but more are needed for a nation of 1.4 billion people.
He explained that government schemes, like PM Kissan Nidhi Samman, help farmers directly and should not be seen as just free money but as necessary support. He urged corporations to support farmers and invest in agricultural research that benefits local communities.
Agriculture needs to be strong for India to aim for becoming a $30 trillion economy by 2047. The Vice President reflected on how India has changed from depending on food imports to becoming self-sufficient. He also praised India’s history of peace and inclusivity and encouraged everyone to respect those values.
Governor RN Ravi and TNAU officials were present at the event.
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