Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan: May 29-June 12
Dr. Parveen Kumar
Agriculture sector since last decade has been receiving renewed thrust and a focused attention by the government. This is being manifested through various pro farming and farmer centric initiatives of the government. Today, there is no dearth of policies and programmes for the socio-economic upliftment of the farming community. The efforts of the government has already started paying dividend. Government’s flagship programme of doubling farmer income by 2022 was also a step in the direction of farmers’ welfare. The seven point strategy of the government to double income of farmers’ was backed up with many new schemes and farmer friendly provisions. These included provision of assured quality seeds and planting materials, promoting diversification through ancillary activities, expansion of irrigation facilities, value addition and processing, warehousing and cold chains to prevent post harvest losses, adequate marketing infrastructure and facilities and crop insurance.
Although there are a no. of schemes, yet the truth is that many of these schemes have not yet grounded to the grass root level. Most of them remain on shelves ultimately defeating the very purpose for which they have been made. It is very disheartening that despite having the largest scientific men power working in the country, farmers’ in the country even do not possess basic knowledge about scientific cultivation of various crops. They still are continuing with their traditional and crude methods which do not give sufficient yield, besides increasing their cost of cultivation and decreasing their net returns from the crop. The yield of almost all the crops in the country is low as compared to yield in developed and neighboring countries. This has put a serious question mark on our mission and vision of Land to Lab. One of the major factors attributed to this is the lack of information and proper sensitization of farmers regarding these schemes. There are also issues with coordination among different departments and agencies working in the farming and allied sectors. To take care of all this and to ensure that the relevant information regarding scientific cultivation of different crops in the coming Kharif season and various government schemes reaches out to farming community, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Government of India has decided to start a fifteen days mass awareness and sensitization campaign ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ for the Kharif season w.e.f May 29 to June 12.
Under Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan 2025, Government aims to reach out to about 1-1.5 crore farmers through dedicated 2000 teams comprising of scientists, officials and farmers. The compaign will run simultaneously in more than 700 districts of the country. Each day, the teams will conduct three meetings per district to educate farming community about farming innovations related to Kharif season crops and various government initiatives. About 10 to 12 lakh farmers will be daily engaged through these meetings. The objectives of this Abhiyan include sensitization of climate resilient seed varieties, sharing monsoon forecasts to farmers to help them in timely sowing, promoting proper use of fertilizers, avail benefits of various government schemes and benefits of subsidies, managing soil health through regular soil testing, Soil Health Cards and organic manures, cards to improve understanding of soil health management, information about government schemes, bridging the gap between lab based research and field level practices and boosting crop productivity through best and sustainable agricultural practices. According to Mr. Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan, Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, this exercise will be fulfill Primeminister dream of raking technology from lab to land and will be an important step towards ‘One Country, One Agriculture, One Team’. The Abhiyan will also address challenges like low crop productivity, uneven yield across states and poor adoption of agriculture reforms in India.
In the district Ramban of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, sowing of Maize has already picked up, so KVK-Ramban under the leadership of Prof. B. N. Tripathi Hon’ble Vice Chancellor and instructions of Prof. Amrish Vaid Director Extension SKUST-Jammu has already started awareness, sensitization and training of farmers of this district. Various training programmes in different Panchayats covering many villages have already been conducted wherein farmers including farm women and youths are being trained and sensitized on a host of issues related to cultivation of Kharif season crops as a part of mandated activities under the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’. The farming community in the programmes is being updated about how to prepare the fields, seed rate and its treatment, seed sowing, plant to plant and line to line spacing and depth of seeds, irrigation schedule and appropriate dose and dosage of fertilizers and also how to control insect pests and diseases through chemical as well as natural means. As Maize is a crop which can be intercropped with vegetables, pulses, oilseeds as well as flowers, farmers are also motivated to intercrop their maize with pulses and vegetables. This will not only increase the productivity and income of farmers but also contribute to health of soil. The farming community is also being sensitized on climate resilient agriculture and various government schemes related to entrepreneurship and empowerment, soil health and sustainable agriculture, crop insurance and farm mechanization.
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan while releasing the guidelines of this Abhiyan applauded the efforts of all in achieving an all time high food grains production. Agricultural minister also called upon for more coordinated efforts by all stakeholders in a single direction and this fifteen days ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ will provide the much needed platform for all to work dedicatedly to further strengthen agriculture sector, backbone of country’s economy.
(The author writes on agriculture and social issues)