India is predominantly an agrarian economy, where agriculture contributes over 18% to the country’s GDP and shapes the economic and social landscape of rural India. However, the agriculture sector today faces multifaceted challenges, with climate change emerging as the most pressing concern. A substantial share of India’s population lives in regions highly susceptible to climate stress. Erratic weather patterns, including unpredictable monsoons, lead to droughts and floods that disrupt agricultural activities. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns threaten crop yields, while the increase in pest and disease outbreaks undermines food security. Water scarcity, soil degradation, and inadequate infrastructure further weaken the resilience of India’s agricultural systems, making it essential to adopt scientific, adaptive and sustainable practices that can withstand the realities of a changing climate.
Technology and Policy as Enablers
The integration of technological interventions is emerging as one of the most powerful pathways to reducing climate-related risks in agriculture. Advanced data analytics and machine learning are optimizing planting schedules, while precision agriculture tools, such as drones and IoT sensors, promote more efficient use of resources. Biotechnology is also playing a key role, with the development of climate-resilient crop varieties that can withstand extreme weather, helping to ensure stable yields. This technological shift is being reinforced by strong policy support.
National initiatives such as the Digital Agriculture Mission aim to integrate digital tools across the farming ecosystem, giving farmers access to real-time data, location-specific advisories and seamless agricultural services. Complementing this, the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is strengthening the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices through integrated farming systems, water-use efficiency programmes, soil health management and resource conservation techniques to enhance agricultural productivity. Together, these interventions are creating a more responsive and resilient agricultural ecosystem, one capable of addressing current climate pressures while preparing farmers for the demands of a rapidly changing future.
Industry’s Role in Ground-Level Adoption
Yet, the success of these nationwide reforms ultimately depends on how effectively they translate to the ground. While policy and technology provide the framework for climate-resilient agriculture, farmers still need practical guidance, scientific support and accessible tools to adopt these interventions at scale. This is where the role of industry becomes essential, particularly organisations that operate at the intersection of farming communities, technology and on-ground implementation.
TEIL’s Integrated Model for Sustainable Agriculture
In this evolving landscape, Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd. (TEIL) stands out as one of the organisations helping embed sustainability into everyday farming. Recognising the need for resilient crop systems that can withstand changing climatic conditions, the Company has implemented a series of targeted strategies aimed at mitigating vulnerabilities and fostering long-term sustainability. TEIL undertakes continuous monitoring of sugarcane varieties to assess their performance under changing climatic conditions. Less resilient or disease-prone varieties are gradually replaced with more climate-adaptive and robust alternatives that offer better resistance to pests, diseases and extreme weather conditions, strengthening crop stability at the field level.
The Company also implements best practices to make sugarcane farming more sustainable for the long-term development of the industry, supporting farmers in integrating sustainable agriculture practices that strengthen resilience and minimise environmental impact. A key focus is improving soil health through the use of soil health cards, which help analyse nutrient requirements and optimise fertiliser use. TEIL also promotes trash mulching where cane residue is retained in the field rather than burned, to enhance organic content and improve soil structure.
Resource efficiency is strengthened through better irrigation practices, aimed at optimising water and fertiliser consumption, lowering input costs and improving overall soil health. Smart and efficient farming techniques form another important dimension of the TEIL’s efforts, particularly its emphasis on integrated pest management using natural methods that are both economical and sustainable. Additionally, TEIL encourages intercropping with legumes, mustard, wheat and other rotational crops to optimise natural resources, stabilise yields and boost farmer income. Together, these practices contribute to a more sustainable farming ecosystem while supporting farmers’ long-term productivity and livelihoods.
Building on these agronomic interventions, TEIL also leverages technology and structured farmer-development programmes to strengthen resilience further. Through its comprehensive sugarcane development programme, the Company empowers over 3.6 lakh farmers with advanced agricultural practices by using GPS, satellite mapping, and drone-based chemical spraying to manage crop health. These efforts are aimed at not only increasing yield and reducing waste but also building resilient supply chains, contributing to the scalability of India’s bio-based industries.
Moreover, the Triveni Cane App, the company’s dedicated Cane Development Portal and Mobile App, delivers timely agro-advisory, weather alerts and rapid issue resolution, giving farmers stronger control over decisions that impact yield and sustainability. TEIL’s initiative to introduce AI-driven communication tools to enhance farmer engagement and responsiveness further reflects its alignment with India’s broader digital-first agricultural vision, ensuring that technology meaningfully reaches the last mile.
Conclusion
India’s agricultural transition depends not just on policy ambition but on strengthening resilience where it matters most—on the farm. TEIL’s integrated approach, combining climate-adaptive agronomy, resource-efficient practices and digital empowerment, shows how industry can drive meaningful change on-ground. By reinforcing ecological foundations and farmer capabilities, the Company is helping build a more stable and sustainable agricultural ecosystem. As climate pressures intensify, such models will be essential to shaping a resilient agricultural ecosystem that supports both long-term productivity and national development.
Mr. Tarun Sawhney is the Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd.
