Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today announced a comprehensive review of the recently concluded “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan,” a 15-day campaign aimed at bridging the gap between agricultural research and farmers.

He will chair a meeting on June 24 with State agriculture ministers, officials, and scientists to assess the campaign’s outcomes and formulate future action plans. Virtual participation will be available for those unable to attend the meeting physically.

Addressing the media on the campaign’s success, which concluded on June 12, Chouhan said the government would not rest on its laurels. “We will ask all participants, including agriculture ministers, to share their feedback and outline the necessary action plans,” he said.

Focus on sectoral productivity

The Minister said a new initiative to hold sector-specific discussions, beginning with a critical focus on soybean productivity. A stakeholder meeting on soybean is scheduled for June 26 in Indore, bringing together farmer representatives, scientists, processors, and traders. The agenda will delve into all issues affecting the oilseed crop, particularly the persistent challenge of low yields. The industry has long advocated for the adoption of genetically modified (GM) technology to address this.

Indian soyabean productivity has historically lagged, fluctuating between 7.38 quintals per hectare (2015-16) and 13.53 quintals per hectare (2012-13) over the past two decades. Despite a record output in 2024-25 with 11.72 quintals per hectare, and Maharashtra touching nearly 16 quintals per hectare in 2010-11, these figures remain significantly lower than Brazil’s impressive 35-36 quintals per hectare.

Chouhan, who previously served as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (India’s largest soyabean-producing state), has consistently urged agricultural scientists to boost productivity, warning of farmers shifting to maize and paddy if yields don’t improve. Following soyabean, similar review meetings are planned for cotton, sugarcane, and the broader pulses and oilseed missions.

Tighter regulations for quality inputs

During the “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan,” many farmers voiced concerns regarding the quality of seeds and pesticides. In response, Minister Chouhan announced that the government would tighten existing seeds and pesticides legislations, potentially bringing amendments to ensure farmers receive high-quality inputs.

Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi confirmed that efforts are underway to pass the amended Seeds Bill as early as the monsoon or winter session of Parliament. The Ministry is exploring ways to regulate non-certified seeds and increase penalties for offenses under the law. However, amendments to the Insecticides Act, 1968, aimed at curbing the sale of spurious pesticides, are expected to take longer, possibly another year.

Campaign success

The “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan,” launched on May 29 in Odisha and concluding on June 12 in Gujarat, was a “very successful” collaborative effort between the Centre and States. Chouhan highlighted its extensive reach: “We engaged directly with 1.34 crore farmers across 1.43 lakh villages in 721 districts. As many as 60,281 programmes were conducted, including in tribal, aspirational, and border districts.” The campaign involved 2,170 teams comprising 8,280 scientists from ICAR and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).

The Minister said numerous valuable suggestions received from farmers would be incorporated into future plans, policies, and research. Innovations by progressive farmers will also be popularised. To further strengthen farmer engagement, Chouhan pledged to visit farmers’ fields twice a week, encouraging ministry officials to do the same. KVK scientists have also been mandated to visit farmers’ fields at least three days a week.

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Published on June 18, 2025