Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Thursday launched the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’, a nationwide campaign aimed at transforming Indian agriculture through scientific intervention.
The campaign was launched at Sakshigopal in Odisha’s Puri district in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister KV Singh Deo, local MLAs, and senior agricultural scientists.
Chouhan, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, said the campaign seeks to help India become the “food basket of the world” by directly connecting agricultural scientists with farmers.
The campaign aims to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Lab to Land” and the concept of a developed India, he added.
Under the initiative, scientists from across the country will leave their laboratories to engage with farmers in over 700 districts, providing hands-on guidance and collecting feedback from the field.
“This is the first time since Independence that such a campaign is being undertaken to connect scientists and farmers directly. The initiative is result-oriented, and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, there will be no shortage of funds for agricultural research,” Chouhan said while addressing the gathering.
The campaign will run from May 29 to June 12, aiming to reach and directly engage with around 1.5 crore farmers nationwide.
Chouhan encouraged agricultural scientists to view their field visits as a service to the nation’s ‘Annadatas’ (food providers).
“You are going to serve the farmers. It is your good fortune that you are getting a chance to go to the village and talk to the farmers and increase their crop production, there can be no greater virtue than this,” he said.
He also appealed to farmers to actively engage with the scientists.
“Please take some time to meet them, learn about new farming techniques, and help increase production. Better seeds mean better yield, and I thank ICAR scientists for developing new seed varieties,” Chouhan added.
Highlighting India’s agricultural achievements, Chouhan said the country produced 3539.59 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrains this year—216.61 lakh metric tonnes more than last year.
“India is now capable of feeding its population of 145 crore. But we must not stop — we aim to become the food basket of the world, not just meet our domestic needs but also export to other countries,” he said.
Chouhan attributed this success to the blessings of Lord Jagannath, underlining the symbolic importance of launching the campaign from Puri, the holy land of the deity.
“This is not just an agricultural campaign; it’s a national mission to ensure our food reserves are full and our farmers’ incomes rise,” he told reporters after visiting Jagannath Temple to seek blessings before the launch.
Before inaugurating the campaign, Chouhan participated in a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ (Tricolour March) and a plantation programme, alongside Majhi and other dignitaries, marking a symbolic commitment to sustainability and national pride.
PTI
