Stakeholders in agriculture sector have agreed that while farmers are increasingly willing to adopt regenerative and climate-resilient practices, they cannot be expected to bear the risks and costs of transition alone.The Nature Conservancy (TNC), in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry’s Food and Agriculture Centre of Excellence (CII FACE), convened a two-day conference on ‘India’s Transition to Regenerative Agriculture: Policy, Partnerships, and Pathways’ in Delhi recently.It brought together diverse stakeholders to deliberate on pathways for transforming India’s food and agricultural systems. It drew on findings from four years of PRANA’s (Promoting Regenerative and No-burn Agriculture) on-ground impact, TNC’s programme operating in 18 districts and 6,826 villages of Punjab to move farmers towards adopting regenerative agricultural practices.A clear consensus emerged from the discussions that the next phase of India’s agricultural journey will require far more than isolated pilots and fragmented interventions. Participants emphasised the need for integrated, systems-level solutions that align policy frameworks, market incentives, financing mechanisms, technological innovation, and last-mile delivery systems.Integrating science and knowledgeQuoting Saswati Bora, Global Director, Regenerative Food Systems, TNC, a media statement said: “Transforming food systems demands the integration of science and knowledge, market incentives, and sustained financing working in concert. TNC’s foodscapes strategy brings these elements together to scale regenerative models that restore nature while strengthening livelihoods, and PRANA stands as its most advanced proof point. PRANA’s outcomes make a compelling case for placing food production at the centre of climate and biodiversity outcomes.”Marc De Sousa Shields, Country Director, International Fund for Agricultural Development, said: “At scale, regenerative agriculture depends on three pillars of trust that farmers need. They need to trust markets to reward change. They need to trust that institutions will support them. They need to trust that supporting infrastructure and technology will evolve and be affordable and accessible. When all this comes together, transition becomes possible.“And India, with its scale, its systems, and experience, has the opportunity to show how it’s done. It’s not just agriculture being transformed. We’re building resilience, building sustainable stability. And importantly, we’re empowering farmers to be part of the change, not subject to change.”Sushil Saigal, Interim Managing Director, Nature Conservancy India Solutions (NCIS), said: “What gives us the greatest confidence is not just the numbers, it is the partnerships this conference has helped forge. We leave these two days with stronger alignment across government, industry, science, and finance. The task now is to translate that alignment into action – expanding PRANA’s reach, integrating its learnings into national policy frameworks, and ensuring that the farmers of Punjab and beyond have the support they need to lead India’s agricultural transition.”The national conference saw participation from policymakers, farmers, agribusiness leaders, financial institutions, researchers, and civil society organisations.Published on June 4, 2026