National Farmers Day 2025, Theme, History, Significance

National Farmers Day 2025, also known as Kisan Diwas, is observed every year in India on 23 December to honour the invaluable contribution of farmers to the nation’s economy and food security. This day marks the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, India’s fifth Prime Minister and a strong advocate of farmers’ rights. National Farmers Day serves as a reminder of the pivotal role farmers play in sustaining rural livelihoods and ensuring national development.

National Farmers Day 2025 Theme

The theme “Vikasit Bharat 2047 – The Role of FPOs in Globalising Indian Agriculture” highlights the crucial role of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in transforming Indian agriculture into a globally competitive sector. FPOs empower small and marginal farmers by enabling collective bargaining, improving access to modern technology, quality inputs, institutional credit, and international markets. 

By strengthening value chains, promoting agri-exports, and encouraging sustainable and market-oriented farming, FPOs serve as key drivers in achieving the vision of Vikasit Bharat by 2047. 

National Farmers Day 2025 History

• National Farmers Day, popularly known as Kisan Diwas, is observed every year on 23 December in India.
• The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, India’s fifth Prime Minister.
• It was officially declared as National Farmers Day by the Government of India in 2001.
• Chaudhary Charan Singh is remembered as a strong advocate of farmers’ rights and rural development.
• The observance highlights his role in land reforms and the abolition of the zamindari system.
• The day aims to acknowledge the contribution of farmers to national food security and economic stability.
• It also serves as a platform to discuss agrarian challenges, policy reforms, and farmer welfare measures.
• Awareness programmes, seminars, and agricultural initiatives are organised nationwide on this day.
• National Farmers Day reinforces the idea that India’s overall development is closely linked to agricultural growth.

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Who Was Chaudhary Charan Singh?

Chaudhary Charan Singh was an Indian freedom fighter, eminent statesman, and agrarian reformer who served as the fifth Prime Minister of India from 1979 to 1980. Born on 23 December 1902 in a farming family in Uttar Pradesh, he developed a deep understanding of rural and agrarian issues from an early age. Charan Singh emerged as a strong voice for peasants and small farmers, consistently advocating policies centred on land reforms, rural empowerment, and agricultural-led economic development.

He strongly opposed urban-centric industrialisation at the cost of agriculture and believed that India’s progress depended on the prosperity of its villages. Owing to his lifelong dedication to farmers’ welfare, he is widely remembered as the “Champion of Farmers” in Indian political history.

Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Contribution to Farmers

• Played a decisive role in implementing zamindari abolition laws in Uttar Pradesh (1950s), which transferred land ownership rights to millions of tenant farmers, ending the feudal agrarian structure.
• As Revenue Minister and later Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he framed land reform policies that imposed ceilings on landholdings, benefiting small and marginal farmers.
• Authored the landmark book “India’s Poverty and Its Solution” (1939), where he argued that agricultural neglect was the root cause of rural poverty.
• Strongly opposed excessive urban-industrial bias and stressed that over 70% of India’s population at the time depended on agriculture, making farmer welfare central to national planning.
• Advocated remunerative prices for crops, laying the ideological foundation for price-support mechanisms to protect farmers from market volatility.
• Promoted cooperative institutions and institutional rural credit to reduce farmers’ dependence on moneylenders charging exorbitant interest rates.
• Emphasised strengthening the village economy as the base of Indian democracy and economic stability.
• Consistently defended the interests of small and marginal farmers, who formed the majority of India’s agrarian population.
• As Prime Minister (1979–80), he prioritised rural development and farmer-oriented governance in national policy discourse.

National Farmers Day 2025 Significance

• Recognises the vital contribution of farmers to India’s food security, rural employment, and overall economic stability.
• Highlights the fact that agriculture supports nearly half of India’s population, making farmer welfare central to inclusive growth.
• Pays tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh, reinforcing his vision of agriculture-led national development.
• Creates awareness about the challenges faced by farmers, including climate change, rising input costs, and market fluctuations.
• Encourages discussion on farmer-centric reforms, such as income support, crop insurance, and access to institutional credit.
• Promotes sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices to ensure long-term agricultural productivity.
• Emphasises the role of technology, digitisation, and innovation in modernising Indian agriculture.
• Strengthens focus on Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) for collective bargaining and better market access.
• Serves as a platform to review and improve government schemes aimed at farmers’ welfare.
• Reinforces the idea that rural prosperity is essential for achieving Vikasit Bharat 2047.