New Delhi, Jan 10 (NationPress) A recent report by Niti Aayog has highlighted the necessity for agriculture to assume a pivotal role in the nation's transformation. The sector currently contributes 19.73% to the national income at current prices and employs 46% of India's total workforce, with women making up 64% of that figure, as the country aims for the vision of “Viksit Bharat at 2047.”

The document, penned by Professor Ramesh Chand, a member of NITI Aayog, accentuated two key pillars of this vision: elevating per capita income to developed economies' levels and achieving inclusive development or “Sabka Vikas.”

“The timeline from 2014-15 to 2024-25 marks the most significant growth phase in India's agricultural history, characterized by robust and steady sectoral expansion. This growth has been driven by demand and increasingly diversified towards high-value crops and allied sectors, indicating a structural transformation within agriculture,” stated the report.

Throughout this period, agriculture has also showcased increased stability and resilience, even amidst climatic and global economic challenges.

“Simultaneously, the sector has absorbed a rapidly growing workforce, particularly women, underlining its ongoing socio-economic relevance. Collectively, these trends suggest that sustained agricultural advancement will be crucial in achieving the national vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’,” it further added.

The growth in GVA agriculture and allied activities accelerated after 2004-05 and particularly after 2014-15. The annual growth rate from 2015-16 to 2024-25 reached an unprecedented 4.45%, marking the highest growth over the last decade among major agricultural nations.

India's agricultural growth from 2015 to 2024 stood at 4.42%, exceeding China's 4.10%, according to the report.

Instability in the growth of GVA agriculture and allied activities peaked in the 1980s but has steadily declined since then. Recent years’ instability is now merely one-third of the peak level of the 1980s. Notably, the agriculture income experienced no negative growth at any point from 2015-16 to 2024-25, defying the impact of COVID-19, which adversely affected non-agricultural sectors, as highlighted in the report.

Growth in livestock and fisheries significantly outpaced that of the crop sector, with fisheries achieving nearly 9% growth—over three times that of the crop sector.

Forestry growth also turned positive after 2014-15, nearing 4%. Among crops, fodder and grasses grew at 7.39%, condiments and spices at 6.72%, fruits at 3.68%, pulses at 3.55%, oilseeds at 2.47%, and cereals at 2.36%. High-value products posted significantly higher growth compared to cereals, oilseeds, and common vegetables, as per the report.

The report concluded that between 2014-15 and 2023-24, agricultural producers’ income grew at an annual rate of 10.11%, surpassing that of manufacturing and the overall economy. Farmers’ income surged by 126% over a decade, while producers’ income climbed 108%% from 2015-16 to 2022-23.