Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a nationwide 15-day awareness campaign, set to begin on May 29, aimed at educating 1-1.5 crore farmers about modern technologies and new seed varieties in preparation for the upcoming kharif sowing season. The initiative, titled 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan,' will run from May 29 to June 12, covering 700 districts across India.

In collaboration with state governments, the Centre will form 2,000 teams consisting of farm scientists, officials, and progressive farmers. These teams will hold three meetings daily at the district level, targeting 10-12 lakh farmers each day. At a National Conference on Agriculture for the Kharif Campaign, Chouhan emphasized the importance of enhancing agricultural extension services to improve productivity and crop output. He stressed the need for rapid dissemination of new technologies and research findings to farmers in the field.

The campaign will focus on educating farmers about climate-resilient seed varieties, fertilizer availability, monsoon predictions, and the benefits of government programs. Chouhan also urged state agriculture ministers to lead the initiative in their states and stated he would write to State Chief Ministers to ensure its success.

Highlighting the potential for agricultural growth, Chouhan noted that India's crop productivity is below the global average and emphasized the need to adopt modern technology and best practices to boost yields. He also pointed out significant yield disparities between states and stressed the importance of bridging these gaps to meet global standards.

Chouhan also addressed soil health, encouraging the proper use of fertilizers through the Soil Health Cards issued by the government. He shared the government's progress in the agricultural sector since 2014, focusing on increasing production, reducing input costs, and ensuring fair prices for farmers through enhanced procurement at minimum support price (MSP).