Shivraj Chouhan bats for dryland farming to boost productivity, income

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasised promoting dryland farming to boost productivity, income, and address water scarcity. Speaking at the Global Dryland Congress 2026, he called it crucial for the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday emphasised the need to promote dryland farming practices to improve agricultural productivity, increase farmers' income and address water scarcity challenges globally. Speaking at the Global Dryland Congress 2026 held in Delhi, Chouhan highlighted the importance of enhancing production in dryland areas to achieve the vision of a developed India by 2047.

Highlighting the significance of drylands in India and across the world, the Union Minister said, "Drylands constitute a vast portion of the land area not only in India but across the globe, including in African nations. There is a pressing need for dryland farming practices that boost both total output and productivity, increase farmers' income, and ensure high yields with minimal water usage. However, water scarcity remains a major global challenge for the future. Even today, drylands account for approximately 65% of India's land area. To realise the vision and resolve of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, we must focus on improving production in these dryland areas."

About the Global Dryland Congress 2026

Chouhan's remarks came during discussions on sustainable agricultural practices and ways to improve farming outcomes in regions facing water constraints. The three-day Global Dryland Congress 2026, themed ‘Transforming Dryland Agriculture with South–South Cooperation’, is being held in New Delhi from September 10–12." It convenes the world’s scientific, policy and farming communities working on drylands.

Jointly organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the Congress, held at the National Agricultural Science Complex, doubles as a milestone celebration of 50 years of ICAR–ICRISAT partnership.

The Global Significance of Drylands

Drylands span about 45 per cent of the world's land surface and are home to over two billion people, many of them smallholder farmers confronting climate variability, land degradation, water scarcity and shifting markets.

The Congress will also commemorate the United Nations Day for South–South Cooperation on its final day, with a special ceremony and dedicated sessions on advancing South–South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in agricultural research, convened jointly with CGIAR. (ANI)

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