New Delhi, March 5 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to conduct a post-budget webinar focusing on "Agriculture and Rural Transformation" this Friday via video conferencing, as per a statement from the PMO.

This initiative features eight distinct webinar sessions that address four key sectors, including agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, and fisheries, along with rural livelihoods.

The upcoming webinar will emphasize the advancement of high-value agriculture, aiming to unlock the potential of crops such as cashew, coconut, sandalwood, agarwood, almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts. Additionally, it will explore opportunities presented by Bharat Vistaar, the AI-driven Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture.

Moreover, the sessions will also discuss the role of private sector investments and entrepreneurship within the animal husbandry value chain, the integrated development of reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars for fisheries, enhancing coastal fisheries value chains, and improving market accessibility for products crafted by rural women entrepreneurs through the Self-Help Entrepreneurs-Marketing Avenues for Rural Transformation (SHE-Marts).

The Union Budget 2026-27 has underscored a significant focus on high-value agriculture, allied sectors, and technology-driven farming. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has recommended strategic interventions to elevate farmer incomes, generate rural employment, and modernize agricultural practices. A budget allocation of Rs 1,62,671 crore has been set for the agriculture sector, reflecting a 7 percent increase from the revised estimate of Rs 1,51,853 crore for 2025-26, highlighting ongoing commitments to farmer welfare, food security, and rural livelihoods.

The ministry's budget has surged from approximately Rs 21,933.50 crore in 2013-14 to about Rs 1,51,853 crore in the 2025-26 Budget Estimates, indicating increasing fiscal support for the sector.

The 2026-27 Budget aims to significantly enhance the production of high-value crops like coconut, sandalwood, cocoa, and cashew in coastal regions to boost farmers' incomes. Support will also extend to agar trees in the North East and various nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts in hilly areas across the nation.

This proposal aligns with the broader strategy outlined in the Budget to fulfill the third Kartavya, which necessitates targeted endeavors to elevate farmer incomes through productivity enhancements and entrepreneurship, as stated by the Finance Minister.

Sitharaman highlighted that around 30 million people, including nearly 10 million farmers, rely on coconuts for their livelihoods. To further bolster competitiveness, a Coconut Promotion Scheme has been introduced to increase production and improve productivity through various interventions, such as replacing old and unproductive trees with new saplings and plant varieties in key coconut-growing states.

In a bid to further increase farmers' income, the Union Budget 2026-27 has also proposed a dedicated program for Indian cashew and cocoa to achieve self-reliance in raw cashew and cocoa production and processing, enhance export competitiveness, and elevate Indian cashew and cocoa into premium global brands by 2030.