Syllabus: GS-III: Agriculture 

Why is this in the news?

The Government of India has underscored that strengthening the synergy between education, innovation and skilling is crucial for agricultural progress. With nearly half of India’s population relying on agriculture for livelihood and the sector contributing around 18 % of GDP, building human capacity is vital to achieve the national ambition of “Viksit Krishi aur Samruddh Kisan”.

The Three Pillars Explained

• Education: Formal agricultural education and training through universities, agricultural colleges and research institutes ensure a knowledge base for modern farming.
  
• Innovation: Introduction of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and precision farming tools is transforming agriculture into a knowledge-driven sector.
  
• Skilling: Short-term vocational training equips rural youth and farmers with hands-on skills to adopt new technologies and become agripreneurs.
  

Relevant Programmes and Cases

• Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY): Offers short vocational courses in agriculture and allied trades. 
• Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM): Promotes mechanisation and builds capacity for custom-hiring services for small/marginal farmers.
• Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Scheme: Strengthens decentralized agricultural extension and training.
• These programmes enable rural youth and farmers to shift from being job-seekers to job-creators, in line with the government’s emphasis on inclusive growth.
  

Why This Matters

• To sustain the targeted 5 % growth rate in farming, the Government views the triad of education, innovation & skilling as the institutional and scientific base.
  
• Through hands-on training, farmers can adopt climate-resilient practices, reduce costs, raise productivity and ensure sustainable use of resources.
  
• With schemes such as STRY, SMAM and ATMA working together, rural youth and farmers are gaining technical and entrepreneurial skills, thereby strengthening rural economies.
  

Key Terms Explained

• Precision farming: The use of data-driven, often sensor-based approaches to optimise inputs (water, fertiliser, seed) and increase yield while reducing waste.
  
• Agripreneurship: Entrepreneurship in agriculture or allied sectors — e.g., starting a custom-hiring centre for mechanisation, or running a smart processing unit.
  
• Extension services: Advisory, demonstration and training services provided to farmers to bridge the gap between research and practice. ATMA is a mechanism for this.
  
• Capacity building: Process of enhancing the skills, competencies and access to resources of farmers and rural youth to enable effective performance and decision-making.
  

Exam Hook – Key Takeaways

• The future of Indian agriculture lies not just in seeds and soil but in skilled human resources who can adopt technologies, engage in value chains and innovate.
  
• Education, research and skilling must be integrated to yield real change — isolated training, no matter how good, will not suffice.
  
• Schemes like STRY, SMAM and ATMA demonstrate how policy instruments operationalise this integration.
  
• With rapid change in climate, markets and technology, agriculture must evolve from traditional methods to dynamic, data-enabled and entrepreneurial models.
  

Mains Question
“Discuss how the integration of education, innovation and skilling can transform Indian agriculture and help achieve the vision of ‘Viksit Krishi aur Samruddh Kisan’. Suggest policy measures to enhance this synergy.”

One-line wrap:
When farmers are learners, innovators and entrepreneurs, agriculture becomes not just survival, but a path to prosperity.

SOURCE