Shivraj Singh Chouhan Engages with Farmers' Organizations, Discusses Key Agricultural Challenges and Solutions

Shri Chouhan, recognizing the significance of these discussions, remarked, "For me, serving farmers is like worshipping God."

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, held discussions today in New Delhi with representatives from various farmers' organizations. As part of his weekly dialogue with farmers every Tuesday, Shri Chouhan welcomed the leaders, conveners, and farmers who attended the meeting, where several critical issues impacting agriculture were discussed.

During the meeting, farmers provided valuable insights and suggestions aimed at reducing agricultural costs, securing profitable crop prices, ensuring adequate protection against water-logging, improving the availability of pesticides and seeds, and safeguarding crops from animal interference.

A major concern raised by the farmers was the deterioration of soil health due to the uncontrolled use of pesticides and fertilizers. They stressed the need for better dissemination of information about government schemes, which they believe often does not reach all farmers, preventing them from taking full advantage of these programs. They also praised the Crop Insurance Scheme, acknowledging it as a beneficial initiative, but highlighted that not all farmers are able to access insurance. Farmers also raised practical issues such as the need for timely replacement of burned transformers to ensure uninterrupted crop irrigation.

Additionally, farmers expressed concerns about contaminated water from factories polluting crops and underground water sources. They emphasized the importance of stronger legal frameworks to combat the sale of spurious seeds, better access to funds through the **Kisan Credit Card**, and the need for improved record-keeping through non-manual surveys.

Shri Chouhan, recognizing the significance of these discussions, remarked, "For me, serving farmers is like worshipping God." He acknowledged that while the problems may seem small, solving them could lead to a 10 to 20 percent increase in farmers' incomes**.

The Union Minister also assured that the Central Government would address issues under its purview, such as tightening laws against counterfeit seeds, while other suggestions would be forwarded to the relevant **state governments**. He concluded by expressing gratitude to the farmers for their participation and assured that both the central and state governments would work together to find solutions to the challenges raised.

This open dialogue marks another step towards fostering collaboration between the government and the agricultural community to improve the welfare of farmers and the sustainability of agriculture in India.