By Faridat Salifu
India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, on Monday unveiled a series of initiatives in the Union Budget 2026 aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, rural employment and technology adoption across India.
Central to the announcements is Bharat Vistar, a multilingual AI-driven platform designed to provide farmers with crop advisories, weather alerts, pest management tips, and market intelligence in regional languages.
The tool integrates AgriStack portals with ICAR’s agricultural practice packages, enabling smallholders to make informed decisions and reduce risks.
The budget also proposes targeted support for high-value crops such as coconut, sandalwood, cashew, cocoa and walnuts.
Programs include replacing non-productive coconut trees with improved varieties, conserving and cultivating sandalwood ecosystems, and promoting export competitiveness for Indian cashew and cocoa by 2030.
In the livestock sector, the government announced credit-linked subsidies and measures to strengthen farmer producer organisations (FPOs).
These initiatives aim to improve access to finance, promote collective farming models, and generate employment in rural areas. Integrated fisheries development across 500 reservoirs and water bodies, including women-led fish FPOs, is expected to expand income opportunities in peri-urban and rural communities.
Budget allocations for the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare have increased significantly over the past decade, rising from Rs 21,933.50 crore in FY 2013-14 to Rs 1,27,290.16 crore in FY 2025-26.
Analysts say the infusion of technology and financing support could help transform India’s agricultural sector, which employs 46.1% of the workforce and contributes around 18% of GDP (PLFS 2023-24).
Ravindra Agrawal, Chairman of KisanKraft Ltd, welcomed the reforms, noting that linking subsidies to efficiency and production outcomes, coupled with mechanisation support through direct benefit transfers, could improve productivity, resource use, and farmer incomes.
FM Sitharaman also highlighted measures targeting small and marginal farmers, youth entrepreneurship, and vulnerable communities, including access to training, assistive tools, and mental health initiatives.
The government said the interventions are designed to integrate technology, sustainability, and financial support, advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat while modernising India’s agriculture and allied sectors.