Need to transform Indian farmers into agri-entrepreneurs: MP Naveen Jindal

Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal said there was an urgent need to transform Indian farmers into agri-entrepreneurs and make agriculture a profitable and globally a competitive sector.

The MP while speaking in the Lok Sabha on Friday called for policy reforms, modernisation and global trade expansion to ensure that Indian agriculture met international standards while securing the prosperity of its farmers.

Naveen Jindal presented a five-pillar (production, storage, transportation, retail and consumer) approach that covers the entire agricultural value chain, ensuring holistic growth for the farmers. The MP called for increasing farm productivity through technology, high-yielding crops and scientific farming practices, developing modern cold storage, warehousing and grain banks to reduce post-harvest losses, strengthening the rural roads, logistics and railway networks for efficient supply chain management, promoting direct farmer-to-market linkages, digital platforms and fair pricing policies to eliminate middlemen and ensuring affordable and high-quality agricultural products reach every household through streamlined distribution.

The MP further called for allocating land to Indian farmers in foreign countries to help them cultivate and export globally.

He said the government should explore land acquisition partnerships with countries offering agricultural incentives. This would enhance India’s food security and boost global agricultural influence. The farmers would gain access to larger markets, improved trade policies and international investment opportunities.

During his speech the BJP MP welcomed the Rs 1.37 lakh crore agriculture Budget while urging for Haryana’s inclusion in PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and stressed on income security for the farmers, highlighting that their average daily earnings remained below even minimum wage levels. He called for better cold storage and logistics to minimise Rs 1.5 lakh crore worth of annual post-harvest losses and also advocated for natural farming incentives, AI-driven agricultural monitoring and solar-powered storage solutions.

The MP pushed for barrier-free trade policies and export-oriented reforms to make Indian agriculture globally competitive.

He further highlighted that strengthening agriculture was crucial for making India a global leader in food security, rural development and sustainable economic growth. He urged policymakers to focus on modernising agriculture, providing financial empowerment and integrating cutting-edge technology into farming practices.

He called for bold reforms in agriculture to ensure that farmers received fair pricing, export opportunities and access to modern infrastructure

Naveen Jindal emphasised that the Indian farmers must be recognised as agri-entrepreneurs, capable of value addition, international trade and innovation in the agricultural sector. "Farmers are the backbone of India’s economy. It is time to redefine them as agri-entrepreneurs and provide them with the resources, technology, and policies needed to thrive. A prosperous farmer means a prosperous nation," said Naveen Jindal.