At a time when Indian agriculture is being reshaped by climate stress, technological disruption, and market uncertainty, Ashok Barnwal, Additional Chief Secretary Forest and Agriculture Production Commissioner, Government of Madhya Pradesh, offers a grounded and policy-informed perspective on the sector’s evolving challenges.
Drawing on his long administrative engagement with forests, agriculture, environment, and natural resource governance, he reflects on how data-driven decision-making, personalised advisories, price assurance mechanisms, and sustainable water use are beginning to alter the economics of farming at the grassroots. From the promise of digital agriculture platforms to the structural limits imposed by landholding patterns and global subsidies, his insights underscore the need for reforms that balance productivity, sustainability, and farmer welfare.
The conversation was conducted by Anoop Verma.
Edited excerpts:
Agriculture continues to employ a very large population in India, yet the sector still faces issues of productivity and self-sufficiency. How do you see the current state of agriculture in Madhya Pradesh?
Agriculture is indeed a critical issue, especially when we consider how many people depend on it, how much land is under cultivation, and how much water is devoted to the sector. Despite this, challenges remain. That said, Madhya Pradesh has made significant progress over the last decade. In terms of agricultural growth, we were ranked second nationally over the last ten years. The state that ranked first focused largely on horticulture, whereas Madhya Pradesh consciously concentrated on core agricultural crops.
This sequencing is important. Agriculture typically progresses from low-value crops to higher-value crops. Farmers first stabilise their incomes through staple crops, adopt better technologies, and then gradually diversify into higher-value agriculture. Madhya Pradesh is now firmly at that transition stage. It also helps that our Chief Minister has a deep understanding of agriculture. His administrative experience allows him to appreciate sectoral challenges at a granular level, and that gives us confidence that policy support for agriculture will strengthen further in the coming years.
With new technologies such as AI, digital soil mapping, and data-driven farming gaining traction globally, how is Madhya Pradesh integrating technology into agriculture?
This year, we piloted an initiative called E-Vikas, which is built on the state’s agricultural digital database—what is now being referred to as the AgriStack. Under this initiative, we enrol farmers digitally and map their landholdings, cropping patterns, and historical practices.
Using this data, we provide precise fertiliser recommendations tailored to each farmer’s crop and landholding. The results have been very encouraging. In areas where E-Vikas was implemented, fertiliser consumption either declined or did not increase in line with the rest of the state. This directly reduces input costs for farmers.
We are now linking this system with soil health data and ICAR recommendations. For example, if a farmer is cultivating soybean, we can advise exactly how much fertiliser is optimal per hectare. While these are advisory recommendations, farmers largely accept them because they are specific and credible. The combined use of digital land records, soil testing data, and crop-specific advisories is significantly lowering the cost of cultivation and improving profitability.
Indian farmers often struggle to compete with imported agricultural products that appear cheaper, especially from countries like Australia or parts of Europe. How do you assess this challenge?
There are two fundamental reasons for this disparity. First, the level of subsidies in countries such as the United States, European nations, and Australia is far higher than what Indian farmers receive. Second, the scale of operations is vastly different. In Australia, the average farm size can be around a thousand acres, enabling extensive mechanisation and economies of scale.
In India, the average landholding is less than two hectares. Farming here is often subsistence-oriented rather than industrial. These structural differences mean that Indian farmers will always face some disadvantage in global price competition. This is precisely why India has consistently raised concerns about agricultural subsidies in global trade forums.
Water overuse and inefficient irrigation remain serious concerns, particularly in some northern states. How can sustainability be improved without hurting farm incomes?
Technology is the key. Earlier, farmers received generalised advisories that applied to everyone, which naturally had limited impact. With the AgriStack and the proposed Vistaar platform, we can now communicate personalised advisories.
If we know a farmer is growing paddy and we know the nutrient composition of his soil, we can send a customised message advising how much fertiliser and water is actually required. We can also explain the consequences of over-irrigation, such as nutrient leaching from the soil. These personalised, data-driven messages have the potential to fundamentally change farming behaviour.
This is where digital agriculture becomes transformative—not by coercion, but by informed choice.
Having worked across agriculture, environment, and forestry, what do you see as the biggest challenges facing Indian farming today?
India is self-reliant in food grains, which is a major achievement. The real challenge lies in ensuring remunerative prices for farmers. While the Minimum Support Price system exists, its benefits materialise only when government procurement actually happens, which is not feasible for all crops.
Ensuring fair prices without distorting markets is the real policy challenge. One promising approach is the Bhavantar scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan. It provides farmers with the MSP benefit through direct compensation, without disrupting market price discovery.
We tested this approach for soybean in Madhya Pradesh. Contrary to fears that prices would collapse, market prices in fact performed better than in neighbouring states during later months. This shows that well-designed price deficiency payment systems can protect farmers while preserving market dynamics.
Agriculture still employs a large share of India’s population, even though its contribution to GDP has declined. Can agriculture support a stable, middle-class livelihood?
Yes, it can—if done correctly. Agriculture’s share in GDP has declined from over 35 percent to around 18 percent, which is a healthy structural shift for a developing economy. However, the number of people dependent on agriculture remains high.
Middle-class livelihoods in agriculture are absolutely possible with the right crop selection, access to markets, and fair pricing. We have examples in Madhya Pradesh where farmers earn over one lakh rupees from a single acre. The formula is straightforward: choose the right crop, ensure market access, and receive the right price.
What, in your view, are the most important reforms that have strengthened agriculture in recent years?
Several reforms have contributed meaningfully. First is the integration of soil testing with crop planning. Second is the expansion of micro-irrigation and pressurised irrigation systems, which dramatically improve water-use efficiency. Third is increased mechanisation, which has become essential due to labour shortages and has improved productivity. Finally, better market integration has reduced inefficiencies and improved price realisation. These reforms, combined with focused political leadership, are steadily improving the resilience and productivity of agriculture in Madhya Pradesh.
