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At the Kisan Tak Bharat Agriculture Conference 2026 the Prime Minister said on 12 November 2026 that smarter farming and farmer empowerment are central to a Viksit Bharat. He cited nearly 12 lakh solar pumps under PM-KUSUM, over 8,400 soil testing labs, 10,000 FPOs, agricultural exports above Rs 4 lakh crore a year and crop diversification beyond wheat, rice and sugarcane. These are statements from the address, not new scheme approvals.
Background
Agriculture is described in the address as a principal stream of national strength for a Viksit Bharat. The address traces India's path from the Green Revolution (food grain self-reliance) and the White Revolution (milk) to newer revolutions in fish, honey and horticulture, and argues that granaries full of grain are no longer enough.
Lab to Land Soil and water assessed Scientists advise farmers Better crop choice Higher farm income
Figures cited in the address
| Indicator | Figure stated | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Milk output rise | Nearly 70% | Past decade |
| Egg output rise | Nearly 90% | Past decade |
| Honey output | About 80,000 to 1.5 lakh tonnes | Past decade |
| Horticulture output | 280 to over 350 million tonnes | Past decade |
| Soil testing labs | Few hundred (2014) to over 8,400 | 2014 to 2026 |
| Solar pumps under PM-KUSUM | Nearly 12 lakh | As stated |
Significance
- Solar pumps cut electricity bills and let farmers earn by generating solar power, which the address calls turning Annadata into Urjadata.
- Namo Drone Didis show that rural women can operate drones to spray fertilizers and pesticides.
- About 10,000 FPOs link small farmers to food processing and export markets.
- Agricultural exports above Rs 4 lakh crore a year support farm income.
Issues and challenges
- Dependence on wheat, rice and sugarcane remains, which is why the address stresses crop diversification.
- Fertilizer prices are cushioned by subsidy: the address says Rs 16 lakh crore was spent over 12 years, with DAP sold at Rs 1,300 a bag and urea under Rs 300, which is a fiscal burden.
- Global shocks, including the West Asia war cited in the address, affect input costs.
Stakeholder view:
| Stakeholder | Position in the address |
|---|---|
| Farmers | To become agri-entrepreneurs, not only producers |
| Scientists and engineers | Develop low-cost, sensor-based, AI-equipped tools |
| Government | Policy aims so that farming does not burden cultivators |
Way forward
- Diversify beyond wheat, rice and sugarcane and promote allied activities.
- Expand Lab to Land so laboratory knowledge reaches fields.
- Widen drone use beyond spraying, as the address says the scope is being expanded.
- Strengthen FPOs for value addition and exports.
Uttar Pradesh dimension
The press release and speech text name no Uttar Pradesh district or state scheme. The nationwide figures (PM-KUSUM pumps, FPOs, soil labs) apply to every State, but the state share is not given, so state data should be taken from the Uttar Pradesh agriculture department. For GS-VI the link is sugarcane, which the address names among traditional crops.
Value-addition points for Mains
- India's agricultural growth rate has averaged above 4 percent in the past decade, a first since Independence, per the address.
- India ranks first in milk, pulses, jute, rice and millets, and second in wheat, cotton, fruits, vegetables and fish.
- Over 725 Krishi Vigyan Kendras and free Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines to livestock of more than 8 crore farmers are cited.
Essay use: use the Annadata to Urjadata idea to show how energy and farming can be one income system.
Key Terms
- PM-KUSUM
- Scheme for solar pumps and solar power for farmers.
- Lab to Land
- Taking laboratory knowledge to farm fields.
- FPO
- Farmer Producer Organisation.
- Namo Drone Didi
- Women self-help group members who operate agricultural drones.
- Agri-preneur
- A farmer who runs farming as an enterprise.
UPPSC syllabus: GS-III, GS-VI
FAQs
What is Lab to Land?
The concept that scientific knowledge from laboratories should reach the farmer's field directly, as described in the address.
Sources: PIB: PM participates in the Kisan Tak Bharat Agriculture Conference 2026; PIB: English rendering of PM's address
Last verified: 2026-11-14
