The Impressive TimesBardoli (Gujarat), June 12- Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, formally concluded the 15-day nationwide campaign, ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’, in Bardoli, Gujarat, today. Speaking at the final Kisan Sammelan, he emphasized that while the campaign formally ends, the dialogue with farmers will continue across the country.
In his address, Shri Chouhan reflected on the symbolic significance of Bardoli, where Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel launched the historic Bardoli Satyagraha against increased taxation on farmers by the British in 1928. Calling Gujarat a land of visionaries and revolutionaries, Shri Chouhan paid tribute to leaders like Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi, and lauded the contribution of the current Prime Minister as “a gift from Gujarat to the nation.”
Launched on May 29, 2025, from Odisha, the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ aimed to connect farmers directly with scientists, ensuring that innovations and agricultural knowledge reach the grassroots. Under the campaign, 2,170 teams comprising over 16,000 agricultural scientists visited more than one lakh villages, interacting with over 1.12 crore farmers through more than 55,000 programs including Chaupals, conferences, and padyatras.
Shri Chouhan praised the efforts of Gujarat in natural farming, noting that the state is leading in the production of castor, cumin, fennel, dates, groundnut, cotton, and horticultural produce. He shared success stories of farmers who, by adopting modern practices and value addition, increased their income tenfold.
He announced a target of natural farming on 7.5 lakh hectares of land this year, with 18 lakh farmers already onboard. He stressed six pillars for agricultural development: increased production, reduced input cost, fair pricing, loss compensation, diversification, and soil conservation.
Concluding the campaign, Shri Chouhan congratulated scientists and called for continued efforts under the spirit of ‘One Nation–One Agriculture–One Team’ to ensure agricultural prosperity and smiles on the faces of Indian farmers.
Prominent attendees included Gujarat CM Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, Agriculture Minister Raghavjibhai Patel, senior ICAR and state officials, MPs, MLAs, and over 2,000 scientific teams participating virtually.
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