Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 on February 1, placing emphasis on diversification, technology adoption, and allied sectors as key drivers to improve farmers’ incomes, particularly for small and marginal cultivators.

In her budget speech, Sitharaman framed agriculture within the broader vision of Viksit Bharat, highlighting productivity enhancement, entrepreneurship, and non-crop income avenues as central to making farming more resilient amid climate and global supply chain challenges.