Agriculture will be foundation for realising PM Modi's vision of developed India: Yogi

United News of India

6 days ago

Lucknow, May 29 (UNI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that for the first time, scientists working in laboratories, ICR, agricultural universities, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras will go into the fields to work directly with farmers and help tackle agricultural challenges.
Launching the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, the CM said, "The main goal of the campaign is to take research 'from lab to land'. Agricultural scientists will not only carry out research in labs but will also visit farms and interact with farmers. This will spark a new revolution in the agriculture sector. The work being done in research centres should be visible on the ground."
It may be noted that the campaign will run from May 29 to June 12.
Yogi expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for initiating this important step. He also paid his tribute to the former Prime Minister and 'messiah' of farmers Chaudhary Charan Singh, on his death anniversary.
He said that agriculture will be the foundation for realising PM Modi's vision of a developed India. "Agricultural scientists, officials of the agriculture department, farmers involved in horticulture, farming, dairy and fisheries will provide modern information about farming. As part of this innovative initiative, scientists will study the climatic zones based on geographical and social conditions and will also inform farmers about how early and late seed varieties affect production," he said.
The CM said that in the past eight years, the double-engine government in UP has actively worked to improve the lives of farmers. He emphasised that the state has immense potential in agriculture, as it holds about 10–11 per cent of the country's cultivable land but contributes around 22–23 per cent of India's total food grain production.
Criticising previous governments, he said that farmers were never a priority on their agenda. "Farmers lacked access to quality seeds, fair MSP rates, timely fertilisers, irrigation facilities, modern technology and soil health management. There was no focus on reducing farming costs and increasing productivity," he said.
Yogi said that farming is a top priority on Prime Minister Modi's agenda. "Over the past 11 years, the agriculture sector in India has seen major changes," he said.
He highlighted initiatives like the Soil Health Card campaign and said that farmers are now benefiting from schemes such as the PM Crop Insurance Scheme, PM Irrigation Scheme, Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi.
He said that farmers are being connected with modern technology. "In 2014–15, wheat prices were below Rs 1,000 per quintal, but today the MSP is Rs 2,425, and some farmers have even sold wheat at Rs 2,800 in the market. This is clear evidence of the positive changes in farmers' lives," he said.
The CM said that irrigation facilities have significantly improved in UP. "Over 15 lakh farmers have received free connections for their tube wells, and the state government deposits Rs 2,500 crore every year to support this initiative. Major projects like the Saryu Canal National Project, Bansagar Project and Arjun Sahayak have helped provide additional irrigation to 23 lakh hectares of land under the double-engine government," he said.
He said that Centres of Excellence have been established to boost agricultural development. He also pointed out that the previous governments were not keen on promoting Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), but as soon as Surya Pratap Shahi became the Agriculture Minister, he successfully helped establish 20 new KVKs. Today, 89 KVKs are active in the state.
Yogi said that a fifth agricultural university in UP will be established in Kushinagar, named after Lord Buddha. "These KVKs are providing farmers with access to new technology and information about improved seeds. The state's agricultural universities have also emerged as key centres for innovation and research, helping drive the state's progress," he said.
He said, "Farmers in UP are now increasing their income. Before 2017, it was common to hear about farmers setting their fields on fire in frustration because they didn't receive payment slips or sugarcane dues for years. Their anger reflected the failures of previous governments."
He said that from 1996 to 2017 (a span of 22 years), the total sugarcane payment was less than what the current government has paid in just 8 years, Rs 2.85 lakh crores, which is Rs 72,000 crore more.
The CM highlighted that earlier sugar mills were shutting down, but under his government, closed mills have been revived, and new ones have been established. "Unlike before 2017, when sugar mills were shutting down, now investors are coming forward with proposals to set up new mills," he said.
He expressed his vision of making UP a one-trillion-dollar economy in the next four years. "To achieve this, a new initiative focused on transforming the agriculture sector is being launched," he said.
He mentioned the 'UP AGREES' project and praised the progress made by farmers in western UP, who adopted modern technology and high-yield seeds, reduced costs and increased productivity. However, he said that farmers in central and eastern UP lagged behind in these areas. To bridge this gap, the state government has expanded a Rs 4,000 crore World Bank-funded project this year, which will cover 28 districts in the Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, and Vindhya regions.
Yogi said that farming is not just the responsibility of the agriculture department, but the Jal Shakti department also plays a crucial role. He informed that while several ministers are driving this campaign from Lucknow, others are actively involved across various districts. "The campaign is linked to 89 Krishi Vigyan Kendras, 826 block headquarters, 8,137 Nyaya Panchayats and numerous Kisan Kalyan Kendra. When all departments and stakeholders work together, this initiative will bring a revolutionary change in agriculture,' he said.
He highlighted climate change as a major challenge. He mentioned that while the monsoon may arrive 15–20 days early, there is a possibility of a 1.5 to 2-month dry spell in between.
Strategies to face such situations must be prepared in advance. He explained that such unpredictable weather can affect production; good seeds planted on time can yield well, but even a one-month delay can reduce output by up to 30 percent. Hence, it's important to spread awareness among farmers to ensure they get the right seeds at the right time.
The CM said that in the past eight years, the production of millets, natural farming products, pulses and oilseeds has increased, but more efforts are still needed in these areas.
He awarded certificates to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan.
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