Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath today lamented that only 25–30% of the state farmers ar able to adopt and implement scientific research in their farming practices.
Addressing a programme today, Yogi called for bridging this gap to ensure that the benefits of research and innovation truly reached the rural grassroots.
Speaking at the 36th Foundation Day of UP Council of Agricultural Research (UPCAR), he stressed that agriculture should drive prosperity not migration, and called for greater adoption of innovation and research to transform the farm sector.
He noted that agriculture was the leading source of livelihood in UP supporting an estimated 30 million households followed by the MSME sector at 16.5 million.
The CM noted that the development of UP is key to India’s progress.
“If UP advances, no power in the world can stop India from becoming a developed nation. Every individual must make honest efforts in their respective fields to achieve this shared goal,” he said.
On the occasion, he addressed a national seminar titled ‘Developed Agriculture – Developed Uttar Pradesh@2047’.
He also felicitated distinguished agricultural scientists, young innovators, and FPOs for their contributions to the sector.
Yogi said agricultural research must align with India’s diverse climate and soil conditions.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to contribute to the nation’s goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy by aiming to build a $1 trillion economy in UP by 2029.
He underlined UP is endowed by nature, especially in the field of agriculture.
“We have vast fertile land and abundant water resources. UP might be the only region in the world where over 86% of agricultural land is irrigated,” he stated.
The state boasts a strong network of agricultural institutions, including four state-run agricultural universities, with a fifth under development, as well as centrally run universities and over 15 premier agricultural research institutes.
In addition, 89 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are actively working to disseminate knowledge and technologies to farmers.
The CM highlighted that while UP is home to 16% of the country’s population, it holds only 11% of India’s cultivable land. Remarkably, this land produces over 20% of the nation’s food grains.
He noted UP’s fertile terrain, abundant water resources and well-levelled land have the potential to triple its current agricultural output.
However, realizing this potential requires a firm commitment to strengthening agricultural research and development, he noted.
He claimed UP has the capacity not only to feed India but contribute to global food security.
“The state holds immense potential in agriculture, horticulture, and vegetable production. To unlock this, there is a pressing need to accelerate research tailored to local climatic zones and natural ecosystems,” Yogi added.
Looking ahead to India’s $30 trillion economy target by 2047, Yogi urged a serious reflection on UP’s future role across key sectors like agriculture, infrastructure, education, industry and healthcare.
He said UP has already formulated a Vision 2047 action plan, and stressed the need for clear short- and medium-term milestones — by 2027, 2029 and 2035 — to ensure visible progress.
CM Yogi recalled the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in collaboration with Israel, where the training and dedication of Indian scientists complemented Israeli technical expertise. He questioned the limited expansion of such models and called for renewed efforts.
“If Israel can achieve this, why can’t our agricultural universities replicate and expand it?” he asked.
He lamented that farmers are still being forced to migrate due to a lack of progress in agriculture and stressed the urgency of reversing this trend.
Addressing climate change challenges, he noted while heavy rains were expected during this season, 15–16 districts of UP have received below-average rainfall, while some neighbouring states are experiencing excessive rainfall.
“How prepared are we to deal with such fluctuations?” he asked.
The CM also pointed out that a delay of just one month in sowing, coupled with the use of old seed varieties, can result in a 30% reduction in yield.
He asked whether farmers had access to late-sowing seed varieties and whether they were properly trained and guided.
“If Krishi Vigyan Kendras, agricultural universities, and research centers don’t offer timely and credible demonstrations, farmers won’t be convinced,” he said.
“If they are still relying on outdated methods, it is because we have failed to connect them with modern techniques and information,” he pointed out.
He emphasised that even modest efforts in agriculture, horticulture, vegetable farming and animal husbandry can significantly improve the lives of farmers.
“Reducing input costs and boosting productivity is the key to bringing smiles to farmers’ faces, and this is only possible through robust research and development,” he said.