Bhubaneswar, May 29 (PTI) Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday launched the 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan', a nationwide campaign aimed at transforming Indian agriculture through scientific intervention.

The campaign was launched at Sakshigopal in Odisha's Puri district and later at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research Central Institute of Freshwater Fisheries ( ICAR-CIFA), Kausalya Ganga, Bhubaneswar, in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo, local MLAs, and senior agricultural scientists.

Chouhan, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, said the campaign seeks to help India become the "food basket of the world" by directly connecting agricultural scientists with farmers. He said the campaign aims to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of "Lab to Land" and the concept of a developed India.

He said under the initiative, scientists from across the country will leave their laboratories to engage with farmers in over 700 districts, providing hands-on guidance and collecting feedback from the field.

"This is the first time since Independence that such a campaign is being undertaken to connect scientists and farmers directly. The initiative is result-oriented, and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, there will be no shortage of funds for agricultural research," Chouhan said while addressing the gathering. The campaign will run from May 29 to June 12, and will directly engage with around 1.5 crore farmers nationwide.

Chouhan encouraged agricultural scientists to view their field visits as a service to the nation's 'Annadatas' (food providers). "You are going to serve the farmers. It is your good fortune that you are getting a chance to go to the village and talk to the farmers and increase their crop production, there can be no greater virtue than this," he said.

He also appealed to farmers to actively engage with the scientists. "Please take some time to meet them, learn about new farming techniques, and help increase production. Better seeds mean better yield, and I thank ICAR scientists for developing new seed varieties," Chouhan added.

At the function held in ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneswar, the Union minister said that fisheries is an integral part of India's food security and there is a need to effectively disseminate technologies to farmers. "A strong fisheries sector must be developed to increase farmers' income," Chauhan said at the function attended by scientists and more than 600 farmers and women from self-help groups.

On the occasion, Chouhan launched an innovative fish vaccine called 'CIFA Argu VAX-I' developed by ICAR CIFA, considered as a major achievement in the fisheries sector. This vaccine will prove helpful in reducing the economic loss of fish farmers by preventing parasitic infection in fish, he said.

The Union minister described fisheries as an integral part of India's food security and emphasised the need to effectively deliver all the technologies developed by ICAR-CIFA to the farmers so that their income increases and a strong fisheries sector can be developed.

Chouhan also attended a programme at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video message was played for farmers and agriculture scientists.

"The VKSA is a unique combination of farmers and scientists which will bring revolution in the field of agriculture. He said if one tonne of grain is added due to the campaign, India could produce 20 million tonne of grain during the ongoing Kharif season," the minister told reporters after the OUAT meeting. The Union Minister also inaugurated a Mango exhibition at the Centre of Horticulture Experimentation Station in Bhubaneswar.

While highlighting India's agricultural achievements, Chouhan said the country produced 3,539.59 lakh metric tonne of foodgrains this year—216.61 lakh metric tonne more than last year.

"India is now capable of feeding its population of 145 crore. But we must not stop — we aim to become the food basket of the world, not just meet our domestic needs but also export to other countries," he said.

Chouhan attributed this success to the blessings of Lord Jagannath, underlining the symbolic importance of launching the campaign from Puri, the holy land of the deity.

"This is not just an agricultural campaign; it's a national mission to ensure our food reserves are full and our farmers' incomes rise," he told reporters after visiting Jagannath Temple to seek blessings before the launch.

Before inaugurating the campaign, Chouhan participated in a 'Tiranga Yatra' and a plantation programme, alongside Majhi and other dignitaries, marking a symbolic commitment to sustainability and national pride. PTI AAM MNB AAM RG