Small and marginal farmers constitute nearly 89% of India's operational landholdings yet cultivate less than half of the country's agricultural land, making them particularly vulnerable to climate and market shocks. While the Green Revolution significantly improved food production, it also contributed to the overuse of chemical inputs, groundwater depletion, and declining soil health. Climate change has further intensified these challenges through erratic rainfall, droughts, heat stress, and pest outbreaks. Inadequate access to storage, drying and processing facilities near farms further contributes to post-harvest losses and forces farmers to sell their produce at lower prices.

Sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture is essential to restore natural resources, improve productivity, strengthen resilience, and enhance farmer incomes. Across the agricultural value chain, solution packages have emerged that combine sustainable practices with appropriate technologies—from soil health management and bio-input preparation to efficient irrigation, climate-smart cultivation, post-harvest storage, decentralized processing, and value addition.