India, Dec 10 : Justice Pratibha M. Singh on Monday emphasized that stronger Centre-State coordination is essential for transforming India’s agriculture sector, noting that while agriculture is a state subject, critical factors such as environment and infrastructure fall under the Centre’s purview. Speaking at the PHDCCI Agribusiness Summit, she called for a unified policy approach to eliminate structural bottlenecks and provide long-term stability for farmers.
She highlighted that 45.6% of India’s workforce depends on agriculture, yet the sector’s economic contribution remains disproportionately low. In comparison, developed nations employ only about 20% of their workforce in agriculture while achieving nearly 60% of GDP through advanced technology and efficient agri-value chains.
Justice Singh pointed out the persistent challenges facing Indian farmers, including poor price realization, high losses to middlemen, wastage, climate related risks, transportation gaps, and inconsistent income. She stressed that a coordinated policy framework backed by both central and state governments is necessary to address these issues.
She urged farmers to embrace modern technologies, including real time weather monitoring, AI-driven disease detection, precision pesticide application, and improved crop management systems, to enhance yield quality and reduce losses.
Justice Singh also recommended the expansion of online marketplaces and agrifintech solutions to improve transparency and financial access at the farm gate. She called on banks to offer customized financial products for farmers and encouraged insurance companies to become more responsive in handling crop related claims.
Reiterating the importance of forward-looking reforms, she underscored crop diversification, real-time monitoring, and precision farming practices as essential for building a resilient and sustainable agriculture ecosystem. She concluded that cohesive Centre-State coordination, combined with technology and timely institutional support, is the key to modernizing Indian agriculture and boosting productivity.