Chouhan Unveils District-Level Agriculture Roadmap For 4 MP Districts

The minister highlighted concerns over groundwater depletion in these districts and stressed reducing dependence on traditional crops such as wheat, paddy and soybean. He pointed to the potential of crops like tomato, onion, garlic, okra, capsicum and fruits such as pomegranate, along with high-value crops including dragon fruit and avocado to enhance farm incomes. Highlighting the need for scientific farming, Chouhan urged farmers to adopt soil-specific nutrient management. He said generalised regional data is insufficient and emphasised field-level soil testing through Soil Health Cards. A mobile application has also been introduced to help farmers determine precise fertiliser requirements in real time. He cautioned that indiscriminate fertiliser use raises costs and damages soil health. To boost productivity, the government plans to establish ‘Seed Villages’ in every block with support from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He said developing around 10 such villages per block could increase agricultural production by up to 20 per cent through access to high-quality seeds. The minister also proposed setting up ‘Clean Plant Centres’ and expanding nurseries to ensure availability of disease-free planting material. To address farm mechanisation challenges, Chouhan called for the establishment of ‘Machine Banks’ at the panchayat level and at least five ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ per block, enabling farmers to rent equipment at affordable rates. He emphasised that the roadmap will be implemented on the ground through convergence of central and state schemes, ensuring benefits reach farmers directly rather than remaining at the planning stage. Efforts will also focus on strengthening cold chain infrastructure, pack houses and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to reduce post-harvest losses and improve market access. The minister underlined the importance of value addition, noting that technologies developed by ICAR can help farmers produce processed goods such as tomato puree and powder. Further, institutional coordination between ICAR institutes, agricultural colleges and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) will be strengthened to ensure direct engagement between scientists and farmers, enabling continuous technical guidance and adoption of modern agricultural practices, the release said. (KNN Bureau)