Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Inaugurates the 6th International Agronomy Congress

Smart, Sustainable and Profitable Agriculture Highlighted as Key to Viksit Bharat @2047

The 6th International Agronomy Congress (IAC-2025) was inaugurated at the NPL Auditorium, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, in the presence of Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The three-day event, scheduled from 24 to 26 November 2025, is being organized by the Indian Society of Agronomy in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences.

The Congress is being attended by more than 1,000 scientists, policymakers, students, development partners, and industry representatives from India and abroad. Participants include experts from global institutions such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, the International Rice Research Institute, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, and the International Fertilizer Development Center.

Minister Emphasizes Role of Science, Youth, and Farmers in Agricultural Progress

Addressing the gathering, Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that the foundation of Viksit Bharat @2047 will depend on agriculture that is smart, sustainable, and profitable. He said that agriculture must advance toward producing more with fewer resources while safeguarding natural assets for future generations. He described agronomy as the link between scientific research and practical field applications.

The minister highlighted the need to enhance soil health, water-use efficiency, biodiversity, eco-nutrition, and digital agriculture. He announced that recommendations from the Congress will be integrated into national policies and regional action plans.

IAC-2025 Declaration Released

During the inaugural session, Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the IAC-2025 Declaration, which included recommendations such as:

• Promotion of soil-carbon sequestration and water-efficient farming
• Scaling up AI-based digital agriculture solutions and the Agri-Stack framework
• Mainstreaming natural and regenerative agriculture models
• Targeted innovation programmes for youth and women farmers
• Next-generation agronomy education at school and university levels
• One-Health, LiFE Mission, and Net-Zero 2070 aligned agricultural strategies
• Global outreach of Indian climate-smart agricultural models

Minister of State Highlights Field-Level Impact

Minister of State for Agriculture, Bhagirath Choudhary, said that agronomy must provide solutions to the real challenges faced by farmers. He pointed out that the purpose of agronomy is to improve farmer income, environmental stability, and nutritional outcomes. He noted that innovations should reach fields across regions, including dry areas of Rajasthan and hill districts of Uttarakhand. He underlined the importance of rainfed agriculture, natural resource management, women’s participation, youth-driven innovations, and strengthening rural micro-enterprises.