Farmers Urged to Embrace New Agricultural Technologies: Minister Bhagirath Choudhary

Mavli, Udaipur – In a significant step towards agricultural advancement, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Bhagirath Choudhary, addressed a large farmers' workshop organized in Palana Kala village under the ongoing Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. He emphasized the need for farmers to adopt modern and efficient agricultural practices to ensure the realization of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047.

Minister Choudhary stated that agriculture and allied sectors contribute approximately 18% to the nation’s GDP. Hence, India cannot attain the status of a developed country without strengthening its agricultural backbone. In line with this vision, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a 15-day pre-Kharif campaign from May 29 to June 12, 2025, focused on developing agriculture through nationwide outreach.

Highlighting the campaign’s impact, Choudhary mentioned that over 2,000 teams of agricultural scientists are visiting around 6,000 villages daily to disseminate knowledge and solutions to farmers. He pointed out that over 49% of farmers in the tribal-majority Udaipur region are from tribal communities, and over 70% of them own less than one hectare of land. He emphasized the urgent need for improved water conservation techniques, particularly as much of the rainfall in the region flows away unused.

Dr. Ajit Kumar Karnataka, Vice Chancellor of Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, shared insights about the university’s newly developed Kharif crop varieties. He noted that while India has become self-sufficient in food grains and other sectors during the ‘Amrit Kaal’ of independence, ongoing progress is necessary to meet the demands of a growing population. He stressed that innovation and encouragement are essential for farmers to remain resilient and competitive.

Dr. Karnataka also cited data showcasing India’s agricultural progress—wheat production has risen from 55.14 million tonnes in 1990–91 to a record 112.74 million tonnes in 2022–23. He remarked that the nation’s agricultural scientists remain committed to continuous innovation and that the current pre-Kharif campaign would serve as a milestone for farmers nationwide.

On this occasion, Minister Choudhary released the Kharif Crop Production Technical Guide prepared by the university and visited the agricultural technology exhibition, where he lauded the efforts of the university and congratulated the Vice Chancellor.

Other dignitaries who addressed the gathering included MP C.P. Joshi, former MLA Badri Lal Jat, Dr. Jay Prakash Mishra (Director, ATARI Jodhpur), Dr. Ishwar Yadav (Additional Director, Agriculture, Jaipur), Dr. Sudhir Maan from IFFCO, and Kishan Choudhary from Prakriti Cell.

Prominent figures from the university in attendance included Dr. R.L. Soni (Director, Extension), Dr. Arvind Verma (Director, Research), Dr. Sudhir Verma (Joint Director, Agriculture), Dr. Latika Vyas, Dr. Ravikant Sharma, Dr. Amit Dadhich, Dr. Hemlata Sharma, Dr. DPS Dudi, and Dr. Praful Chandra Bhatnagar, along with a large gathering of farmers.