Modi Govt’s New Drive for Farmers Begins May 29 – 2,170 Teams to Hit the Fields
19 May 2025, New Delhi: Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, addressed a press conference at the National Media Centre today, sharing details about the nationwide “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan” set to begin on May 29. He stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mission to build a developed India is underway, and a developed agricultural sector with prosperous farmers is essential to achieve this goal. Agriculture remains the backbone of the Indian economy, supporting nearly half the population with employment and playing a crucial role in ensuring food security.
Ensuring Food Security and Farmer Prosperity
In his media interaction, Chouhan emphasized that the primary aim of the Union Agriculture Ministry is to ensure food security for the country. With a population of around 1.45 billion, it is vital that everyone has access to ample food, vegetables, and fruits, while also ensuring that farming remains a profitable venture. The focus is not just on availability but also on the nutritional quality of food. He highlighted the need to conserve natural resources and use them efficiently so they continue to support future generations. To meet these goals, the Ministry has adopted a six-pronged strategy: increasing production, reducing production costs, ensuring fair prices for produce, compensating for losses from natural disasters, promoting crop diversification and value addition through food processing, and encouraging natural and organic farming.
Record-Breaking Agricultural Output in 2024–25
Speaking on production achievements, Chouhan shared that in the current year, the country recorded all-time high production figures: Kharif rice at 1206.79 lakh metric tonnes, wheat at 1154.30 lakh metric tonnes, Kharif maize at 248.11 lakh metric tonnes, groundnut at 104.26 lakh metric tonnes, and soybean at 151.32 lakh metric tonnes. He added that food grain stocks are full due to rising production, but the ambition does not stop here. India aims to meet its own needs and also support other countries as a global partner, with a vision to make India the “Food Basket of the World.” To achieve this, all institutions working to increase agricultural productivity and reduce costs are being brought together under a unified direction through this campaign. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)’s 113 institutions will collaborate more effectively through this initiative.
National Push to Translate Research into Ground-Level Impact
Expressing satisfaction, Chouhan noted that total food grain production increased from 3157.74 lakh tonnes in 2023–24 to 3309.18 lakh tonnes in 2024–25. Kharif production rose from 1557.68 to 1663.91 lakh tonnes, and Rabi production increased from 1600.06 to 1645.27 lakh tonnes. Pulses production went up from 221.71 to 230.22 lakh tonnes, and oilseeds from 384 to 416 lakh metric tonnes.
He further informed that during the recent Kharif conference, where agriculture ministers from various states participated, it was decided to launch the “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan” for this year’s Kharif season. While around 16,000 scientists are engaged in research, their work must align with current farmer needs. Therefore, demand-driven research has been emphasized. As part of the campaign, 2,170 teams of scientists are being formed, each comprising at least four scientists, along with experts from agricultural universities. These teams will include university faculty, state officials, central agriculture department teams, progressive farmers, and FPOs. From May 29 to June 12, these teams will visit villages, hold daily morning, afternoon, and evening interactions with farmers, share improved agricultural practices, promote climate-resilient and cost-effective methods, and address real-time concerns directly in the fields.
Also Read: Two Decades of Bt Cotton in India: A Story of Progress and Persistent Challenges
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