Need to connect farms to roads for better market supply

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a 15-day nationwide campaign, 'Visit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan', to educate farmers about new technologies related to seeds, chemicals, and best practices before the Kharif crop sowing season begins with the goal of enhancing production.

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He tells Jitendra Choubey that 2,170 expert teams, each comprising at least four scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), universities, research institutions, government departments, and farmer producer organisations, will visit over 65,000 villages across 723 districts between May 29 and June 12. Excerpts:

What is your assessment and farmers' response? How is this yatra different from previous campaigns?

We have already engaged with millions of farmers. For the first time, a team of 2,170 scientists from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research has interacted directly with farmers, creating a valuable exchange of knowledge. Farmers learn about soil quality, nutrients, and pest control, while scientists gain insights into the challenges farmers face. During my visit to the Kisan Vigyan Kendra in Pune, I saw the initiative mobilising farmers to share their problems and seek solutions. I met growers of grapes, capsicum, tomatoes, and chilies, and I'm pleased to report that horticultural farmers are earning substantial incomes, with many young people returning to farming.

Why isn't the focus on crops like mustard and pulses which India doesn't produce much? Recent data show a decline in mustard production, and pulses still fall short of India's needs.