Lucknow, July 22 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that agriculture continues to be the largest source of employment in the state, with nearly three crore farmers dependent on it. The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector follows next, employing around 1.65 crore people, he said. Speaking at the 36th Foundation Day of the Uttar Pradesh Agricultural Research Council, the Chief Minister stressed that agriculture must become a source of prosperity, not a reason for migration. “This is possible only when farmers benefit from the latest research in the sector,” he said. He underlined that UP’s development is essential for India’s progress. “If every person makes honest efforts in their respective fields, no force can stop India from becoming a developed nation,” he said.

Yogi also inaugurated an agricultural exhibition, released booklets and newsletters, and addressed a national seminar titled ‘Developed Agriculture -- Developed Uttar Pradesh 2047’. The Chief Minister said UP must scale up research and development based on the state's unique soil and climate. “All such possibilities are there in UP. Prime Minister Modi has set a target to make India a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047. Every state must contribute to this vision,” he said. He added that the central government aims to make India a 5 trillion dollar economy, and UP has set a target of becoming a 1 trillion dollar economy by 2029. “We are blessed with fertile land and abundant water resources. UP is perhaps the only state in the world where over 86 per cent of the agricultural land is irrigated,” he said.

UP currently has four state-run agricultural universities, with a fifth one coming up. In addition, the central government also runs institutions in the state, along with over 15 dedicated to agricultural research. A network of 89 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) also supports farmers on the ground. However, the CM expressed concern that only 25-30 per cent of farmers in the state can effectively implement modern scientific research in their practices. “This needs to change if we want to fully realise UP’s agricultural potential,” he said. Although UP has only 11 per cent of India’s cultivable land, it produces over 20 per cent of the country’s food grains. “Given the state's fertile soil, water resources, and climate, this output can be tripled -- provided we commit ourselves to advancing research and development in agriculture,” he added.

The Chief Minister emphasised that nations that invested in research and development were the ones that advanced. “We have the capacity not just to feed India, but the world. There is tremendous potential in agriculture, horticulture, and vegetable cultivation -- especially with region-specific research aligned with nature and the environment,” he said. Looking ahead, the CM said UP has developed a Vision 2047 roadmap and is working on short, medium, and long-term plans. “We must also focus on milestones for 2027, 2029, and 2035. Agricultural universities and research institutes should begin work in this direction,” he said.

CM Yogi also highlighted the state’s collaboration with Israel in setting up Centres of Excellence. “Israel provided us technical support and trained our scientists. We must now focus on scaling this initiative. If Israel can do it, why can’t our own universities? How long will we see farmers migrate out of agriculture?” he said. He also warned about the impact of climate change, noting that 15-16 districts in UP have received below-average rainfall this season. “This is the time for heavy rains, but they haven’t arrived. We must prepare to deal with such changes in climate through research-based strategies,” he added.