India has managed to shift the crop pattern of four lakh hectares of land across 100 districts by encouraging farmers to switch to oilseed cultivation rather than the existing high water-consuming paddy crops. Furthermore, the government has devised a five-year plan to intercrop oilseeds on 20 lakh hectares.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, 230 high-yielding oilseed districts have already been identified as places where oilseed planting could be encouraged further.
During a webinar on ‘Smart Agriculture: Bringing Back the Glory of Millets; Moving Towards Aatmanirbharta in Edible Oil,’ Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the government is also planning to bring back the glory of Indian millets crops in order to make India self-sufficient in three areas: food, nutrition, and economy.
“Through this mission, the government aims to realise the image of a self-sufficient farmer with the best harvests,” Goyal said, adding that Smart Agriculture is about leapfrogging into a new era to build a strong infrastructure for farmers.
“Restoring millets to their former glory will make the country Aatmanirbhar in three areas: food, nutrition, and economy,” stated the Minister. He also stated that India has the potential to lead the international market in millet exports, noting that India is currently the world’s second-largest producer and exporter of millets.