Bengaluru, June 9, 2025
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today lauded the agricultural practices employed by farmers in Karnataka, unequivocally declaring them the “best in the country.” Speaking at the launch of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) at the ICAR-IIHR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Minister Chouhan expressed his admiration, stating, “Farms in Karnataka are the best in the country. The techniques used by farmers here are so well-thought-out and modern, they leave me awestruck.”
The event, which marked a significant step in the VKSA’s rollout, attracted over 500 farmers from various parts of Karnataka, eager to learn about advancements in agricultural science and technology. The program commenced with insightful site visits around the ICAR-IIHR campus farms, where participants had the opportunity to observe various biologically modified flora developed by the institute’s dedicated scientists. This hands-on experience was followed by a comprehensive briefing on the fundamental principles and objectives of the VKSA development program.
The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, a joint initiative by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, is strategically designed to address pressing challenges faced by farmers. Its core aims include combating issues such as poor cultivation due to plant diseases, rectifying adverse soil conditions, and mitigating the burden of rising input costs. Crucially, the program seeks to build a robust bridge between scientists and farmers, fostering a collaborative environment where they work hand-in-hand to produce disease-resistant crop varieties capable of thriving even in harsh local conditions.
The nationwide campaign has already made significant strides, with 1,896 teams having interacted with a remarkable 8,95,944 farmers across 8,188 villages. In Karnataka specifically, more than 70 interdisciplinary teams, comprising scientists and officials from agricultural and allied departments, are diligently visiting and engaging with farmers daily. Their primary objective is to record direct feedback from the ground, which will be instrumental in shaping future agricultural research and development initiatives. Yelamma, a small marigold farm owner from Chikkaballapur district, shared her positive experience, stating, “I have always been a bit wary of the hybrid crops because I thought them to be unsafe but after seeing the crops here it has changed my views of them.” This direct feedback underscores the program’s success in building trust and promoting the adoption of scientific advancements among the farming community.