India and World Bank Discuss Key Agricultural Priorities for Sustainable Growth

New Delhi: Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW), held a meeting with Martin Raiser, Vice-President for the South Asian Region at the World Bank, to discuss agricultural priorities and deepen collaboration on critical issues. The meeting, held yesterday at Krishi Bhawan, focused on enhancing sustainable agricultural practices, improving soil health, climate resilience, and expanding access to carbon markets and digital agriculture.

Dr. Chaturvedi outlined the Indian government’s priorities in the agricultural sector, emphasizing efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds, promoting sustainable farming, and addressing challenges related to small land holdings. He also highlighted the government’s push for improved service delivery to farmers and fostering large-scale behavioral change towards more sustainable practices.

A significant part of the discussion revolved around ensuring that small and marginal farmers benefit from carbon credits. The two sides explored solutions to overcome challenges such as shrinking farm sizes, access to capital for Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs), and leveraging digital infrastructure to promote sustainable use of agricultural inputs.

Raiser expressed the World Bank’s commitment to supporting India in its efforts to design policies that incentivize farmers to adopt climate-smart and resilient agricultural practices. The collaboration is expected to focus on scaling up soil health initiatives and using digital agriculture tools to bring about transformative changes in the sector.