Executive Summary:
This document addresses a question in Lok Sabha regarding labor shortages in agriculture. It acknowledges a marginal decline in the rural workforce engaged in agriculture over the last five years but notes a recent increase from 2022-23 to 2023-24. The response outlines government initiatives to support farmers, enhance agricultural productivity, and promote sustainable farming practices.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Workforce Trends:**
* The percentage of the rural workforce in agriculture and allied sectors increased from 58.4% in 2022-23 to 59.8% in 2023-24.
* There has been a slight decrease in this workforce from 61.5% in 2019-20 to 59.8% in 2023-24.
* **Government Initiatives:**
* The government has implemented various policies, reforms, and development programs across the agriculture sector.
* These initiatives focus on promoting mechanization, skill development, and access to modern equipment.
* Schemes like SMAM, AgriSURE, STRY, ATMA, AIF, MISS, and PMKISAN are being implemented.
* **Agricultural Productivity:**
* Food grain production increased from 297.5 million tonnes in 2019-20 to 353.96 million tonnes in 2024-25.
* Horticulture production rose from 320.47 million tonnes in 2019-20 to 367.72 million tonnes in 2024-25.
* **Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs):**
* 731 KVKs have been established to disseminate new technologies in agriculture and allied sectors.
* KVKs conduct on-farm testing, frontline demonstrations, capacity development, production of quality inputs, and extension activities.
Impact Analysis:
* Farmers:
* *Impact:* Farmers are positively impacted through increased access to technology, skill development, financial incentives, and support for mechanization, leading to improved productivity and sustainable farming practices.
* *Action Required:* Farmers should actively participate in government schemes, utilize the resources provided by KVKs, and adopt modern agricultural technologies to enhance their farming practices.
* Agricultural Workforce:
* *Impact:* The agricultural workforce is impacted by skill development programs and initiatives promoting farming as a viable career option, especially for youth.
* *Action Required:* The agricultural workforce should engage in skill training programs and leverage available resources to enhance their expertise and employability in the agricultural sector.
* Government:
* *Impact:* The government is responsible for implementing and monitoring the effectiveness of various schemes and initiatives aimed at addressing labor shortages and promoting sustainable agriculture.
* *Action Required:* The government needs to continue to strengthen the agricultural workforce, promote mechanization, and provide financial incentives to ensure the long-term sustainability and productivity of the agricultural sector.
Key Entities Referenced
National Statistical Office: A government organization responsible for collecting and publishing statistics in India.
Ministry of Statistics Programme Implementation: The Indian government ministry responsible for statistical data collection and program implementation.
Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM): A program by the Government of India to promote the use of agricultural machinery among farmers.
Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs): Agricultural extension centers established by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in rural districts to disseminate agricultural technologies.
Agri Fund for Start Ups Rural Enterprises' AgriSURE: A fund aimed at supporting agricultural startups and rural enterprises.
Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY): A program under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Extension (SMAE) focused on skill development for rural youth.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKISAN): A financial support scheme for farmers in India.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): An autonomous organisation responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3868
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12TH AUGUST, 2025
LABOUR SHORTAGE IN AGRICULTURE
3868. SHRI G KUMAR NAIK:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण
be pleased to state:
म(cid:287)ं ी
(a) whether the Government is aware that labour shortages in agriculture have
become a growing concern, with a 15% decline in rural workforce participation in
agriculture over the last five years, according to recent reports from the National Statistical
Office;
(b) the impact of this shortage on agricultural productivity and how it is affecting the
overall food production, especially during peak seasons such as sowing and harvesting;
(c) the measures being taken by the Government to address these labour shortages,
including any skill development programs aimed at increasing labour availability for
agriculture; and
(d) the steps the Government is taking to help poor farmers reduce dependency on
manual labour, including the provision of modern machinery, financial incentives and
support for mechanization, to ensure that they can continue farming sustainably and
improve their productivity?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
(SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य मं(cid:287)ी
(a) & (b): As per the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) annual report by
National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation
(MoSPI), the percentage of rural workforce engaged in agriculture and allied sector has
been increased from 58.4% in 2022–23 to 59.8% in 2023–24. Further, there has been a
marginal decline in rural workforce engaged in agriculture and allied sector over the last
five years—from 61.5% in 2019–20 to 59.8% in 2023–24, as detailed below:
S. No. PLFS Survey Year Percentage of workers engaged in Agriculture
& Allied sector* in Rural
1. 2019-20 61.5
2. 2020-21 60.8
3. 2021-22 59.0
4. 2022-23 58.4
5. 2023-24 59.8
Source: Annual Reports, Periodic Labour Force Survey, MoSPI. (2019-20 to 2023-24)
*Includes Agriculture, Forestry & FishingThe Government has implemented various policies, reforms, and development
programs, covering the entire spectrum of the agriculture sector. These initiatives focus
on promoting mechanization, enhancing skill development, and ensuring farmers' access
to modern agricultural equipment. Programs such as the Sub-Mission on Agricultural
Mechanization (SMAM), Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and targeted skill development
schemes are empowering farmers to adopt timely, efficient, and technology-driven
agricultural practices. As a result of these efforts, productivity of food grain crops has
increased and food grain production has seen a substantial increase—from 297.5 million
tonnes in 2019-20 to 353.96 million tonnes in 2024–25 (as per third advance estimates).
Similarly, horticulture production has risen from 320.47 million tonnes in 2019-20 to
367.72 million tonnes in 2024-25 (second advanced estimates).
(c) & (d): The Government is committed to support farmers by strengthening the
agricultural workforce and promoting sustainable farming practices to improve productivity
through initiatives emphasizing skill development, supporting mechanization, providing
financial incentives and ensuring access to modern agricultural technologies. To support
these objectives, several targeted schemes have been implemented—such as the Sub-
Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), Agri Fund for Start Ups & Rural Enterprises'
(AgriSURE), Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY) program under the Sub-Mission on
Agricultural Extension (SMAE), Support to State Extension Programs for Extension
Reforms” popularly known as ATMA, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Modified Interest
Subvention Scheme (MISS), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), ,among
others.
Additionally, Government has taken various initiatives to promote farming as a viable
career option for youth, among which the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
has set up 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in the rural districts of the country for
dissemination of new technologies of agriculture and allied sectors through technology
assessment, demonstration and capacity development among the extension functionaries
and the farmers of the concerned district. The KVKs perform following activities for the
purpose:
i. on-farm testing to identify the location specificity of technology under various farming
systems;
ii. frontline demonstration to establish the production potential of improved agricultural
technologies on the farmers’ fields;
iii. capacity development of extension functionaries and farmers for knowledge and skill up
gradation;
iv. production of quality seeds, planting materials and other technology inputs for the
farmers;
v. extension activities to develop awareness of improved agricultural technology among the
farmers.
*****
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