Shivraj Singh Chouhan Leads Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan in Telangana

The Minister began his Telangana tour with a visit to Mansonpally village in Ranga Reddy district, where he engaged with farmers practising diversified and integrated farming systems.

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, led a high-impact outreach initiative under the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ in Telangana on June 10, 2025, aimed at reinforcing the Centre’s commitment to making Indian agriculture more prosperous, sustainable, and future-ready. His visit, marked by multiple farmer interactions and field visits, exemplified a grassroots approach to policymaking and underlined the government’s resolve to transform agriculture through integrated efforts.

Ground-Level Engagement in Ranga Reddy District

The Minister began his Telangana tour with a visit to Mansonpally village in Ranga Reddy district, where he engaged with farmers practising diversified and integrated farming systems. Later, he conducted a Kisan Chaupal at Ramachandraguda village, where farmers shared the transformative impacts of modern practices on their productivity and income.

This was followed by a large-scale interaction at a farmers’ programme in Mangalpally, Ibrahimpatnam, where Shri Chouhan addressed the gathering and reiterated the government’s vision of a developed India (Viksit Bharat) being rooted in advanced agriculture and farmer prosperity.

“Agriculture is the backbone of our economy and the farmer is its soul,” he said, adding that the 5.4% agricultural growth rate in Q4 of the fiscal year is a testament to the hard work and innovation of India’s farming community.

Focus Areas: Food Security, Fair Prices, Nutrition & Sustainability

Shri Chouhan outlined four key objectives critical to the government’s agricultural agenda:

1. Ensuring national food security through adequate grain reserves

2. Guaranteeing fair prices for farmers’ produce

3. Providing nutritious food to India’s 1.45 billion people

4. Preserving soil fertility to ensure sustainable agriculture for future generations

He emphasized that these goals form the foundation of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, a nation-wide campaign aimed at bridging the “lab-to-land” gap by directly connecting farmers with scientific research and innovations.

Massive Deployment of Agricultural Scientists

Under the Abhiyan, 2,170 teams comprising over 16,000 agricultural scientists have been mobilized to visit villages across India. These teams are tasked with:

• Sharing region-specific best practices

• Recommending suitable crop varieties based on local soil fertility and climate

• Listening to farmers' ground-level challenges

• Aligning research priorities with real-world farming needs

“The farmer is the true scientist,” Shri Chouhan declared, urging researchers to co-create solutions with the farming community.

Millets, Palm Oil, and Innovation in Telangana

The Minister commended Telangana’s progress in agricultural innovation and highlighted the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) as a key player in making millets (Shri Anna) a globally recognized grain. He also stressed the need for enhanced research into palm oil cultivation in the state.

While visiting innovative farms, he observed intercropping of palm and papaya, tomato cultivation, floriculture, and commercial nursery development. One farmer reportedly earns ₹3 lakh per acre, highlighting the potential of diversification and market linkage.

Market Support and Infrastructure

Shri Chouhan announced the launch of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), designed to:

• Cover inter-state transport costs of key perishables like tomato, onion, and potato

• Expand storage infrastructure for perishable goods

• Ensure fair market access across regions

The initiative is expected to stabilize prices, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost farmer income, particularly for small and marginal farmers.

Empowering Small Farmers and Integrated Models

Shri Chouhan emphasized the government's special focus on smallholder farmers, who form a majority of India's agricultural population. Integrated farming models—combining crops, livestock, fisheries, and agroforestry—are being actively promoted to maximize productivity and income resilience.

Policy and Leadership Commitment

Speaking on the first anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term, Shri Chouhan praised the Prime Minister’s vision for a developed India driven by a thriving rural economy. He reiterated that the government is working at speed to:

• Formulate farmer-friendly policies

• Promote sustainable agricultural practices

• Drive innovation through international research collaboration

“We are committed to removing every obstacle in the path of farmer prosperity,” he declared.

Key Dignitaries in Attendance

The event was graced by a range of high-level dignitaries, including:

• Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

• Shri Tummala Nageswara Rao, Agriculture Minister, Telangana

• Shri Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, Member of Parliament

• Shri Chamal Kiran Kumar Reddy, Member of the Legislative Assembly

• Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR)

• Senior officials from central and state agriculture departments, research institutions, and scientific communities

Their presence demonstrated the inter-governmental coordination and multi-stakeholder collaboration central to the success of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s visit to Telangana underlines the government’s people-first approach in agricultural policy. Through direct farmer engagement, scientific outreach, and strategic interventions, the government is laying the foundation for an inclusive, productive, and resilient agricultural sector that can fuel India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat by 2047.