Trade Policies Should Safeguard Farmers’ Interests

Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Initiatives to Promote Modern Farming Practices in India

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, India’s Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, is actively engaging with farmers through the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan to promote modern farming practices. Chouhan is currently visiting states as part of the campaign to familiarize 15 million farmers with specific farming practices tailored to agro-climatic zones. In a recent event at Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, he addressed various issues affecting the agriculture sector.

Challenges and Future Growth in Indian Agriculture

Chouhan highlighted the key challenges faced by the agriculture sector, including the need to ensure small landholding farmers are profitable. The focus is on enhancing seed quality through new technologies such as genome-edited rice varieties released by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research. Crop diversification, increased production of oilseeds and pulses, and enhancing soybean yield are also areas of concern.

Another priority is aligning fertilizer usage with soil quality and creating soil health cards for farmers to promote balanced fertilizer use. Efforts are also underway to reduce pesticide usage post the promotion of drip irrigation and mechanization.

Addressing Climate Change Impacts

Chouhan emphasized the need to develop climate-resistant mango and tomato varieties with extended shelf life and focus on food processing. He stressed the importance of 100% procurement of pulses and oilseeds under the price support scheme to boost output and maintain a balance between farmer remuneration and consumer prices.

Measures to Combat Fake Pesticides and Seeds

Chouhan is discussing stringent provisions to tackle the issue of fake pesticides and seeds, with a focus on amending the Seeds Act to ensure quality control. He aims to strengthen the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to improve claim assessments and settlement processes through satellite remote sensing technology.

Prospects for Agricultural Growth in 2025-26

Chouhan projects a 3-3.5% agricultural growth in the upcoming year, contingent on favorable weather conditions. Efforts are being made to enhance the effectiveness of crop insurance schemes and ensure timely claim settlements to mitigate impact from unseasonal weather events.