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Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Focus on farmers prosperity, UP minister urges agri scientists
1 2 Varanasi: Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare Ramnath Thakur concluded his two-day visit to Varanasi on Thursday as part of the ongoing Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, a nationwide campaign to promote sustainable agricultural practices and advanced technologies. During the concluding function held at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Kallipur, the minister urged agricultural scientists and officials to focus on farmer prosperity by reducing farming costs and working towards the goal of doubling farmers' income. He emphasized the need for communicating the latest agricultural innovations to farmers in a language they understand — directly in their fields. Addressing a gathering of farmers, the minister highlighted that sowing rice during the Rohini Nakshatra is considered auspicious and leads to better crop yields due to favorable climatic conditions. The campaign witnessed active participation from farmers across the region. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Horticulture), ICAR, New Delhi, directed officials to act firmly against the use of adulterated seeds and chemicals. He also stressed promoting diversified farming, including fruits, vegetables, pulses, oilseeds, animal husbandry, and fisheries. Colonel Bijendra Singh, Vice Chancellor of Acharya Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, highlighted that Uttar Pradesh's agricultural productivity lags behind states like Punjab. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unfriendliest Countries in the World, Ranked BigGlobalTravel Undo He advised farmers to adopt practices such as timely sowing, field leveling, correct seed rates, and incorporating green manure crops like dhaincha and sunhemp to restore organic matter in soil. Water-saving techniques like sprinkler and drip irrigation and mulching were also recommended. Additionally, beekeeping was encouraged to boost crop yields by 15–20%. As part of the visit, the ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute – South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), organized field visits to demonstrate Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technology and other climate-smart agricultural innovations. The minister visited the ISARC exhibition stalls, where he was briefed on climate-resilient rice varieties, rice-based nutritional products, and farmer-friendly technologies tailored for small appreciated ISARC's efforts in offering scalable and eco-friendly farming solutions suitable for regional conditions. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
New Indian Express
05-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Now that Indus treaty is on hold, we'll use more water for Indian farmers: Agriculture Minister Chouhan
CHANDIGARH: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that as the Indus Waters Treaty has been put in abeyance, efforts will be made to ensure that more water reaches farmers in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. He said that 80 per cent of water from the Indus river system was flowing into Pakistan. "Giving 80 per cent water to Pakistan at that time was not justified. Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan require water and that water is ours. Now we will utilize that water for our farmers," said Chouhan. Chouhan, who was on a day-long visit to Punjab, visited a farmers' gathering (Kisan Chaupal) in Rajpura, Patiala, as well as the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Rauni. He was accompanied by Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, Punjab Agricultural University vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal and ICAR scientists. He has been engaging with farmers across various states to promote sustainable and progressive farming practices as part of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. Citing its benefits in water conservation and reduced labour costs, he said that farmers should adopt the Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) method and also urged them to refrain from excessive pesticide use. "I have been apprised of good crop practices, be it direct seeding, mushroom farming or making silage," he said. When asked about complaints about fake pesticides, Chouhan said that the government will frame a new law, making a provision for stringent action against any company which supplies fake pesticides to farmers. Lauding the role of Punjab farmers in filling the foodgrain stock of the country, Chouhan said the country has registered an all-time record production in wheat, paddy, maize and soybean this year. "For this, Punjab has the biggest role and I bow to the land of Punjab," said Chouhan. He emphasised that the research of agricultural scientists should reach farmers and scientists should know what problems farmers are facing at their fields so that research can be undertaken in that regard. "I am not a guest here, I am a family member, I am not here for rhetoric but I am here to directly interact with farmers and understand the ground reality. Our focus should be to connect land and lab, so that farmers benefit from real-time innovation. Policies should come from the field not from officers in air-conditioned rooms."
