Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the National Conference on Agriculture for the Kharif Campaign 2025 today on May 8, 2025, at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi. The event, organized by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, focused on preparing strategies for a productive and resilient Kharif season across the country.
In his address, Chouhan highlighted India's transformation into one of the world’s major economies and stressed the urgent need to connect agriculture with science. He called for increased crop production, reduced farming costs, and fair returns for farmers, adding that the integration of modern science with traditional agricultural wisdom would empower farmers, uplift villages, and strengthen the nation.
The minister also spoke about promoting natural farming, using advanced technologies, introducing improved crop varieties, and strengthening government schemes. He expressed confidence that these efforts would lead to self-reliant farmers, prosperous villages, and a stronger nation.
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, underlined the Centre’s focus on distributing quality seeds, boosting oilseed production, implementing the National Mission on Natural Farming, and ensuring the overall welfare of farmers. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to sustainability and agricultural innovation.
Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR, also addressed the conference, emphasizing the need for scientific efforts in the interest of farmers and for strengthening climate resilience in Indian agriculture. He highlighted the importance of delivering newly developed technologies—especially those aimed at increasing rice production—directly to farmers to ensure sustainable growth in both production capacity and farmers' income.
Dr. Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension) at ICAR, announced the launch of the Agricultural Commitment Campaign by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, set to run from May 29 to June 12, 2025. This initiative will involve ICAR scientists, Krishi Vigyan Kendra experts, and officials from agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, and fisheries departments, who will directly engage with over one crore farmers. The campaign aims to spread awareness about modern techniques for key Kharif crops, promote government schemes, and guide farmers on crop selection and balanced fertilizer application using soil health cards. It will also prioritize collecting farmer feedback to acknowledge their innovations and guide future agricultural research.
The conference aimed to review the performance of crops during previous seasons and set specific targets for the upcoming Kharif season. Discussions also focused on ensuring timely supply of essential inputs and promoting modern techniques to enhance productivity.
The event witnessed the participation of State Agriculture Ministers; Secretaries, and senior officials who engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanged insights.
The collective goal was to shared insights and discussed strategies to improve crop yields and ensure national food security.
