Puri launch for nationwide campaign to boost farmer-scientist interaction
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Bhubaneswar: Union ministry of agriculture and farmers' welfare will launch a nationwide campaign, 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan', aimed at strengthening farmer-scientist engagement, from Puri on May 29.
The initiative will span across 723 districts in the country, including all 30 in Odisha, and continue until June 12. The campaign will see the deployment of 2,170 expert teams comprising over 8,000 agricultural scientists and extension personnel. The teams will fan out to more than 65,000 villages, conducting three interactive sessions daily to guide farmers with practical, science-backed solutions tailored to their local conditions.
Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to farmers to actively participate in the campaign. "Meet scientists, discuss your issues, and explore progressive techniques to boost your productivity," he wrote on X.
State agriculture and farmers' empowerment minister K V Singh Deo posted on X, "As we take strides towards innovation and resilience in agriculture, I encourage farmers to embrace this initiative and contribute to a thriving farming future.
Together we sow the seed of prosperity."
The initiative is being rolled out in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), its 113 research institutes, agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK)s, state departments, farmer-producer organisations (FPOs), and innovative farmers. It will be a recurring annual exercise before the sowing of kharif and rabi crops.
Experts will conduct field assessments to analyse soil health, climatic conditions, water availability and local rainfall patterns.
Based on the findings and Soil Health Card data, farmers will receive tailored advice on suitable crop choices, high-yield seed varieties, optimal sowing practices and judicious use of fertilisers to reduce input costs and improve soil fertility.
Farmers will also be encouraged to share ground-level issues, including pest attacks and yield losses, which will help in future agricultural research and policy formulation. The campaign aims to bridge the gap between lab and land, making agricultural science accessible and actionable for every farmer, official sources said.
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