NITI Aayog releases report on “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta”
NITI Aayog releases report on “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta”
India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses. The role of pulses in ensuring food security, nutritional well-being, and sustainable agriculture with significant environmental benefits is therefore, very critical. In this context, a report titled “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta” was released by Hon’ble Member, NITI Aayog, Prof. Ramesh Chand, in the presence of Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) & Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The presentation on this report was made by Dr. Neelam Patel, Senior Adviser (Agriculture Technology Division), NITI Aayog.
The report lays out a detailed roadmap to accelerate the growth and transformation of India’s pulses sector. With nearly 80% of production dependent on rainfed areas and sustaining the livelihoods of over 5 crore farmers and their families, the sector is vital to rural economies and the vision of Atmanirbharta. Following a decline in production to 16.35 million tonnes (MT) in 2015–16, which necessitated 6 MT of imports, concerted interventions by the Government of India spurred remarkable progress. By 2022–23, production rose by 59.4% to 26.06 MT, accompanied by a 38% increase in productivity, reducing import dependence from 29% to 10.4%. Building on this momentum, the Union Budget 2025–26 has announced the “Mission for Atmanirbharta in Pulses”, a six-year focused initiative targeting pigeonpea, black gram, and lentil to further strengthen India’s self-reliance in this vital sector.
The report notes that India’s diverse agro-climatic conditions support the cultivation of 12 pulse crops across kharif, rabi, and summer seasons. Production is regionally concentrated, with Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan contributing about 55%, and the top ten states accounting for over 91% of national output. Addressing these gaps is vital for reducing import dependency, ensuring nutritional security, and advancing the country’s goal towards Atmanirbharta in pulses.
The report comprehensively explores the current state of the country’s pulse sector and its future potential, including a detailed analysis of consumption patterns. The report projects pulse production to rise steadily, with domestic supply estimated to reach 30.59 MT by 2030 and 45.79 MT by 2047.
To achieve self-sufficiency in this sector, the report lays out a comprehensive strategic framework to bridge the projected demand-supply gap, ensuring long-term sustainability of pulse production, anchored on two core pillars: (i) Horizontal Expansion, aimed at increasing the area under pulses through utilizing untapped land resources like rice fallow lands for high-yielding pulse crops and efficient intercropping; and (ii) Vertical Expansion, focused on enhancing yields through improved farming practices, and technology-led interventions. These include the adoption of improved varieties and hybrids, seed treatment and quality assurance, value addition through processing, timely and scientific sowing practices, as well as integrated approaches to nutrient, pest, weed, and water management. Further, the ‘district-wise quadrant approach’ outlined in the report offers a valuable tool for achieving “Atmanirbharta” in pulses. To guide implementation, the report identifies district clusters.
The strategic interventions recommended in the report offer a viable path to not only bridge the import gap but also position the country on a trajectory toward self-reliance. The report notes that with focused adoption of these strategies, the country has the potential to significantly increase the domestic pulse production by ~20.10 MT, enabling a supply of 48.44 MT by 2030 and 63.64 MT by 2047.
Recognising self-sufficiency in pulses as a national priority, to navigate this path successfully, the recommendations and the way forward of this report are laid down based on the valuable insights gained from a primary field survey encompassing 885 farmers across five major pulse-producing states (i.e., Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka).
The report concludes with several recommendations to achieve self-sufficiency in pulse sector, including: area retention and diversification through targeted crop-wise clustering, adoption of customized technologies for varied agro-ecological sub-regions, emphasis on high-quality seed distribution and treatment kits specially focussing on 111 high-potential districts contributing 75% of national output, and “One Block–One Seed Village” cluster-based hubs facilitated by FPOs. The report emphasizes on proactive climate adaptation measures, and driving data-led transformation through comprehensive monitoring and decision-support systems, is crucial for transforming the sector and to ensure “Atmanirbharta”.
The report may be accessed at: https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-09/Strategies-and-Pathways-for-Accelerating-Growth-in-Pulses-towards-the-Goal-of-Atmanirbharta.pdf