Bengaluru: In a bid to rejuvenate the state's farm sector and attract the younger generation to agriculture, the state govt is crafting a new agriculture policy after an 18-year hiatus.
The last policy, introduced in 2006, was a stepping stone in shaping the state's agricultural scenario.
Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy said the upcoming policy will be modelled on the state's successful industry and startup policies, with the goal of promoting ambitious business goals in farming.
"The new policy will aim to impart global competence to the farm sector," Chaluvarayaswamy said, adding that it will introduce progressive measures such as establishing Global Capability Centres (Gcc)and incorporating pension schemes for farmers, a longstanding demand.
While the previous BJP govt had attempted to introduce an agriculture policy in 2022, it was left on the back burner. The present govt has tasked the development commissioner with studying the proposed policy and preparing a preliminary report, which is expected to be ready soon. A decision is also being made on setting up an expert committee to finalise the policy.
"The goal is to notify the policy before the 2025-26 Budget, expected to be presented in March so that its key features can be included, I will consult CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday regarding the modalities, Chaluvarayaswamy said.
The new policy aims to address several pressing issues in the agricultural sector. One of its key objectives is to enhance productivity by leveraging modern technology, making the sector more efficient. This includes streamlining the distribution of government subsidies, accepting crop insurance claims through the digitised FRUITS platform (Farmer Registration and United Beneficiary information system), which currently enrols about 40 lakh farmers, and ensuring quicker access to benefits.
A major challenge facing the state's agriculture is the rapid loss of cultivable land due to urbanisationSenior officials from the agriculture department highlighted that this shrinking landmass is a concern, and the new policy will explore strategies to curb migration from agriculture to other sectors by making farming more profitable.
Karnataka currently has around 120 lakh hectares of cultivable land, with 20 lakh hectares allocated for horticulture. However, there has been a noticeable migration from traditional agriculture to horticulture in some regions, disturbing the balance of crop patterns. For example, areca nut cultivation has surged from 1.5 lakh hectares to 7 lakh hectares, significantly reducing agricultural land.
Former deputy CM CN Ashwath Narayan said the policy should adopt an industrialised approach to farm development and suggested strengthening Farm Producers Organizations (FPOs) and agricultural startups, noting that there are currently 1,466 FPOs and 12,000 startups, with potential for growth incentivized. Narayan also proposed increasing the irrigated land area from the present 36 lakh hectares to at least 50 lakh hectares.