India's farm sector accelerates with technology-driven growth post-2015

India's agricultural sector has demonstrated markedly stronger performance over the past decade, driven by technological advancement and diversified growth across farming regions. Growth in the period following 2015 averaged 4.5 per cent annually, substantially outpacing the expansion rates of 3 per cent recorded during the 1967-1995 period and again between 1996-2014.

The acceleration reflects a fundamental shift in how farming is conducted across the nation. Rather than relying on traditional methods or isolated pockets of innovation, the recent growth has been characterised by widespread adoption of technology and a more inclusive approach to agricultural development. This broader distribution of improvements has helped sustain momentum in the sector.

The contrast with earlier decades is striking. For nearly three decades from the mid-1960s through the mid-1990s, the sector grew at just 3 per cent annually. Growth remained stalled at the same rate through 2014, suggesting systemic constraints that have only recently been overcome. The shift to higher growth trajectories indicates that policy changes, infrastructure investments, or technological interventions implemented in recent years have had measurable impact.

The technology-driven nature of current agricultural expansion suggests India's farming sector is undergoing modernisation that extends beyond urban centres. Improved seeds, irrigation techniques, mechanisation, and data-driven farming practices appear to be reaching cultivators more broadly than in previous periods, contributing to more balanced regional growth patterns and enhanced productivity across the agricultural landscape.