"Saha Nau Bhunaktu"—"May we work and prosper together." These timeless words from the Rig Veda resonate as India’s rural economy embarks on a transformational journey driven by cooperatives, AI, and sustainable economic policies.
With 46% of national income still tied to agriculture and 85% of farmers being small and marginal, rural India must bridge the gap between traditional wisdom and modern market realities. The Economic Survey 2024-25 underscores this urgency, emphasizing the need for integrated cooperative frameworks, digital trade platforms, and climate-smart solutions.
India’s cooperative sector has long been a force of change. Amul, IFFCO, and KRIBHCO have demonstrated how collective enterprise strengthens local economies. Now, over 63,000 PACS are digitized, agriculture credit has crossed ?20 lakh crore, and food processing exports have surged by 23%. To accelerate progress, we must scale up Cooperative Commodity Zones (CCZs)—where farmers don’t just grow but also process, package, and sell their own produce.
Technology, especially AI, is revolutionizing rural trade. AI-powered analytics are helping farmers in Telangana predict global demand for red chillies and cooperatives in Gujarat forecast the best time to sell groundnuts. The Economic Survey notes that AI-driven e-markets have boosted farm income by 22%, while 1,260 mandis are now integrated with e-NAM, facilitating ?2.5 lakh crore in trade.
Sustainability is key. ESG-driven policies, solar irrigation, blockchain-based subsidy management, and organic exports are reshaping agriculture. With targeted investment in Aspirational Blocks, bio-energy initiatives, and AI-based rural upskilling, India’s villages can become economic powerhouses.
"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam"—"The world is one family." By empowering cooperatives and harnessing AI, India can lead the global rural economy into a new era of prosperity.
By Binod Anand, Executive President, World Cooperation Economic Forum, Views are personal.
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