Prof B N Tripathi
In a world fraught with rising geopolitical tensions such as the recent escalations involving Iran and Israel questions around national security have once again taken centre stage. While armed conflicts may dominate headlines, they underscore a deeper truth: a nation’s strength lies not just in its military capabilities, but in its ability to ensure stability and sustenance for its people. India, too, must reflect on its silent yet steadfast contributors to national resilience i.e. to our farmers.
Wars are never desirable. They bring with them destruction, dislocation, and distress. Peace is always the preferred path. However, history reminds us that there are times when nations are compelled to defend their sovereignty, integrity, and dignity. In such times, while the armed forces are lauded and rightly so for their valour and commitment at the borders, it is equally important to recognize another silent and steadfast force behind the strength of a nation: the Indian farmer.
As the current geopolitical tensions with Pakistan simmer, one significant and often overlooked truth emerges: India’s resilience does not merely stem from its military prowess, but from its robust agricultural backbone. The dual foundation of defence and food security ensures that India remains fed, fearless, and firm in the face of adversity. While the Indian soldier guards the frontiers, it is the Indian farmer who ensures the country’s granaries remain full and its citizens nourished.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan rightly stated, “India has sufficient food stocks to feed every citizen even in challenging times.” This statement is not just a declaration, it is a testament to the strength of India’s agricultural framework, built on the shoulders of millions of farmers across the length and breadth of the country.
The comparison between a soldier and a farmer is not merely rhetorical. The soldier protects the nation from external threats, while the farmer ensures internal stability through food production. During every crisis; be it war, natural calamity, or the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian farmer has continued to work relentlessly. Even during the harshest lockdowns, when much of the economy was brought to a standstill, farmers toiled in the fields, ensuring uninterrupted food supply to every household.
This silent service deserves recognition. India’s defense preparedness is not only about tanks and missiles, but also about tractors and seeds. Granaries are as important as armories. And the furrows ploughed by farmers are as vital as the trenches guarded by soldiers. A hungry nation cannot fight wars. A well-fed nation is better prepared to face any challenge.
The 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of agriculture in ensuring national stability. While most sectors experienced contraction, agriculture was among the few that recorded growth. Farmers worked day and night, risking their health and with limited mobility to harvest crops and sustain food supply chains. In doing so, they ensured food availability even in the remotest corners of the country, upholding India’s commitment to food for all.
India’s agricultural journey is one of perseverance, innovation, and transformation. In the 1950s, the country was grappling with food shortages, producing merely 50 million tonnes (Mt) of food grains. Today, that figure has surged to over 330 Mt, making India not only self-sufficient in food production but also a significant exporter. What makes India’s agricultural journey truly remarkable is not just the growth in food production but also the diversification across multiple sectors through various agricultural revolutions, namely; Green, White, Blue, Golden, Yellow, Pink, Silver, Purple etc.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s addition to the iconic slogan originally given by former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”, now includes “Jai Vigyan” (Victory to Science) and “Jai Anusandhan” (Victory to Innovation). This reflects the changing dynamics of national strength in the 21st century. A nation is not only secure through its military and food reserves, but also through its scientific temper and capacity for innovation.
Indian agriculture today is not just about traditional farming. It is about research-driven productivity, climate-resilient practices, digitization, precision agriculture, biotechnology, and sustainable growth. With the increasing impact of climate change, India has adopted measures to ensure that farming becomes more adaptive and efficient. Technologies like satellite mapping, drip irrigation, organic farming, integrated pest management, and genetic improvements have empowered farmers with new tools to secure the nation’s food needs.
In our pursuit of development and security, farmers must not be relegated to the background. They must be seen as key stakeholders in national planning and defence preparedness. Policies must continue to focus on enhancing agricultural productivity, ensuring fair prices, strengthening value chains, providing access to technology and credit, and building climate resilience.
It is also important to promote a culture of respect and pride in farming. While urbanization and modernization are vital, neglecting the rural and agrarian backbone would be a costly mistake. The dream of a self-reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) rests firmly on the shoulders of its food producers.
As the world faces increasing uncertainties; be it due to conflicts, pandemics, or climate change, India stands out for its ability to feed its people, thanks to its agrarian strength. This strength must be protected, nurtured, and celebrated.
India’s defence is not merely about its armed forces, it is about its ability to sustain itself in times of crisis. And that sustainability comes from its agriculture. The farmer is not just an ‘annadata’ but a ‘rashtra rakshak’ (protector of the nation). Every grain harvested is a blow against hunger, every drop of sweat shed in the fields is a contribution to national security.
Let us remember, no army marches on an empty stomach, and no nation can hold its head high if its people go hungry. It is time we salute both the jawan and the kisan with equal reverence. The battlefield may lie at the border, but the fight for sustenance is waged in the fields. Together, the soldier and the farmer keep India safe, sovereign, and strong.
(The author is Vice Chancellor Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu)
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