A look into India’s science-driven plan to lead the world in food production

The plan includes a large-scale initiative called ‘Lab to Land’, involving more than 16,000 agricultural scientists working with farmers to improve crop yields, address local farming challenges and ensure that research is tailored to real-world needs.

Across thousands of villages, expert teams have begun collecting feedback from farmers to guide research and support services.

In Karnataka alone, more than 70 interdisciplinary teams have visited over 2,000 villages, engaging with hundreds of thousands of farmers.

The data gathered will be used to design solutions specific to soil conditions, crop health, and local market needs.

The campaign also aims to ensure farmers get better returns by covering the transport costs of agricultural produce under a market intervention scheme.

The effort promotes a national strategy of “One Nation, One Agriculture, One Team,” with support from central and state governments, research institutions and agricultural extension networks.

The initiative was formally launched by India’s Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during a public event in Bengaluru under the banner of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.

This campaign forms part of a broader vision to make India a developed nation by 2047, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-term development agenda.

The Minister laid the foundation stone for a new biosafety lab and addressed farmers and scientists at the ICAR-IIHR campus, outlining how coordinated efforts would help meet global food demands while improving the livelihoods of Indian farmers.

As part of the event, the minister honoured several farmers from Karnataka for their contributions to sustainable agriculture.

The government has indicated that the programme will expand further in the coming months, with continued support for infrastructure, logistics and applied agricultural research to boost productivity and export potential.