Viksit Krishi Sankalp to cover farms in 7 Pb dists
Ludhiana: To bridge the gap between research and rural livelihoods, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched a nationwide agricultural outreach campaign, Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, here recently to empower and equip farmers with the knowledge and tools for the kharif cropping season.
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The initiative aims to connect directly with farmers at the grassroots level, particularly in rural and underserved regions.
Eleven team of scientists from ICAR-CIPHET (Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology), Ludhiana and ICAR-IIMR (Indian Institute of Maize Research), Ludhiana have been formed for a 15-day outreach programme across several farm villages in seven districts of Punjab namely Ludhiana, Moga, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Malerkotla, Rupnagar and SBS Nagar districts.
A multidisciplinary team of agronomists, environmental scientists, soil experts, and technology specialists are visiting farms to talk about recent sustainable agricultural practices, assess local challenges, and co-create solutions with village farmers. The outreach, which began on May 29, will continue until June 12.
"Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan" is part of the group's broader commitment to promote climate-smart farming and enhance food security through science and lead to the national vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
"A meeting of the scientific teams from both the institutes and officials of the state's agriculture department was organised at ICAR-Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering Technology (CIPHET)," Rahul K Anurag, senior scientist at ICAR-CIPHET, said.
ICAR-CIPHET director Nachiket Kotawaliwale chaired the session and summed up the preparedness and approach for this Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.
Emphasising the importance of the outreach, ICAR-IIMR Ludhiana director, HS Jat, said, "We are here not just to share knowledge, but to listen and learn from the farmers. Their insights are vital to shaping practical, community-based innovations."
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