Kisan Diwas celebration
In India, farmers matter
In India today, farmers – and the entire nation – celebrate Kisan Diwas, Farmers’ Day. We join them!
With agriculture accounting for nearly two-thirds of the country’s GDP, farming is firmly woven into Indian society too. Recognised as the driving force of the economy – albeit challenged by newer industries, such as tech – Kisan Diwas honours the Indian farmers who have done so much to sustain the country’s development.
Since the turn of the 21st century, India’s agricultural output has grown more than 400%, from $101bn to $532bn, according to the World Bank. Today, India is among the top three producers of many globally traded crops, such as wheat, cotton, rice, vegetables and potatoes, while its position as the world’s number one milk producer has become known as the White Revolution (paying homage to the Green Revolution) for its success in linking millions of tiny dairy producers through a nationwide system of co-operatives.
As Claus Brakemeier, our Global Business Development Manager, found out during his recent visit to India, there’s a palpable enthusiasm in Indian agriculture to move things forward and modernise the industry. It’s a move firmly supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose predecessor – the fifth Prime Minister of India, Chaudhary Charan Singh – Kisan Diwas sets out to honour.
Singh was himself a farmer before entering politics; he never forgot his humble origins in Uttar Pradesh and while his tenure in the top job was short, his influence was felt in Indian agri-politics over many years, from pre-independence until he stepped down in 1980.
At FertiGlobal, we’re proud to be present in India, thanks to the hardworking efforts of SCL Commercial and its Country Manager Alam Tanveer and his team. As India’s farmers look to the future, keen to adopt innovative new products that improve both productivity and India’s agricultural sustainability, we’re working with Alam to bring research-based technologies to a wider audience.
Please join us today in thanking Indian farmers for their hard work, dedication and commitment – and sending a very special message of ‘Happy Kisan Diwas’ to Alam and his colleagues.