Answer

Your point has some nuance, but in traditional Jain ethics it is not correct to dismiss the concern so easily. Agriculture is generally viewed as a high-himsa activity because it involves injury to many living beings in soil, water, plants, and small organisms. So the statement that Jains should avoid agriculture is not a random notion; it comes from the Jain principle of ahimsa.

Explanation

In Jain Dharma, the main measure is not simply whether the final result brings growth or prosperity, but how much violence is involved in the process and how avoidable that violence is.

Agriculture usually involves:

• Ploughing and digging, which harm earth-bodied beings
• Irrigation and disturbance of living organisms in water and soil
• Cutting, uprooting, and harvesting plants
• Killing or displacing many tiny living beings unintentionally

So even if agriculture supports human life and may indirectly support more living beings, Jain ethics still sees the direct harm in the process as significant.

That said, Jain Dharma also recognizes practical life. So this is better understood as:

• Agriculture is generally discouraged
• It is not always treated as an absolute moral impossibility
• The degree of harm, intention, and necessity matter

Spiritual Understanding

Jainism teaches sensitivity toward all forms of life, not only visible life. The goal is not to justify violence by saying that more life ultimately results from it. The goal is to reduce harm as much as possible and choose a livelihood with less injury when one has the option.

That is why traditional Jain communities often preferred trades and businesses over farming. The concern is not only the final outcome, but the inner discipline of ahimsa.

Takeaway

So, it would be more accurate to say:

“Agriculture is traditionally considered a more हिंसक occupation in Jainism, and therefore generally discouraged, though the exact practical application can depend on circumstance.”

If you want, I can also explain:

• the Jain view of occupations
• or why trade is preferred over farming in Jain ethics