On World Food Day 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and India celebrated 80 years of partnership in agriculture, food security, and sustainable development. The event, held in New Delhi, showcased how this enduring collaboration has helped transform India from a food-deficient nation to a global agricultural powerhouse.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, emphasized India’s remarkable journey over the decades and highlighted the deep technical and policy collaboration with FAO in achieving self-sufficiency and resilience in agriculture.
From Food Scarcity to Food Self-Sufficiency
Dr. Chaturvedi recalled the early years of India’s independence, when the country grappled with chronic food shortages. Over time, a combination of visionary policymaking, scientific advances, and global partnerships—especially with FAO—helped India build robust systems for food production and distribution.
Today, India not only feeds its 1.4 billion population but also contributes to global food security. The transformation was driven by,
- Strong public stockholding mechanisms
- Minimum Support Price (MSP) policies
- National Food Security Act (NFSA) covering over 800 million people
These interventions reflect India’s rights-based approach to food access, ensuring that nutrition and affordability are at the core of its development strategy.
Focus on Nutrition and Sustainability
Looking forward, the Secretary stressed that India’s food systems must be nutrition-sensitive—focusing on diverse, safe, and affordable diets. He also highlighted India’s pivot to sustainability and climate resilience in agriculture through,
- Micro-irrigation and water-efficient technologies
- Natural and organic farming initiatives
- Crop diversification to reduce dependency on cereals
- Development of stress-tolerant seed varieties
- Deployment of AgriStack, a digital public infrastructure providing real-time data and services to farmers
These initiatives aim to empower India’s 146 million small and marginal farmers, who remain central to rural livelihoods and national food systems.
Celebrating FAO’s Legacy in India
A highlight of the celebration was the release of FAO’s coffee table book titled “Sowing Hope, Harvesting Success.” This publication captures FAO’s milestones in India across eight decades, showcasing its impact in promoting innovation, supporting extension services, and building rural capacity.
Dignitaries in attendance included,
- Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India
- Mr. Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India
- The story of FAO in India is also the story of India’s rise as a global agricultural leader,” while Mr. Hagiwara reiterated FAO’s commitment to supporting India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
