Jammu: The Agriculture Department will conduct the “Khet Bachao Abhiyan” across Jammu Division from June 1 to June 30, aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture, reducing cultivation costs and providing field-level technical guidance to farmers.
The decision was reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by Anil Gupta, following directions from Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who recently stressed that the campaign should evolve into a mass movement connecting farms, farmers and villages rather than remaining a mere awareness programme.
During the meeting, the Director Agriculture issued detailed instructions for the effective implementation of the campaign, emphasizing the need to save agricultural land, lower cultivation costs and provide timely, need-based advisory services to farmers at the grassroots level.
A key focus of the campaign will be reducing the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers. Farmers will be educated about the balanced use of fertilizers and agricultural inputs based on soil testing. The campaign will also promote the distribution of Soil Health Cards and encourage the adoption of green manure, organic inputs and bio-products to improve soil fertility and long-term sustainability.
Anil Gupta informed that multidisciplinary teams comprising experts from agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and the Agriculture Department have been constituted. These teams will undertake Panchayat-level visits throughout Jammu Division to directly engage with farmers and provide location-specific technical guidance.
The Director directed all Chief Agriculture Officers (CAOs) to ensure the successful execution of the programme in their respective districts. He added that efforts would be made to involve Ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly and other public representatives to transform the campaign into a broad-based public movement.
The campaign will also promote Natural Farming and other sustainable agricultural practices. Simultaneously, enforcement drives will be intensified to monitor the quality of pesticides and agricultural inputs available in the market.
Special saturation drives under the Kisan Credit Card and PM-KISAN schemes will be conducted to ensure that all eligible farmers are covered and receive the benefits of these flagship programmes.
Awareness programmes will also be organised under the Mission on Aatmanirbharta in Pulses and the National Mission on Edible Oils to encourage greater farmer participation.
Additionally, farmers will be provided guidance on suitable crop options, crop diversification strategies and climate-resilient farming practices, particularly in areas affected by water scarcity and other agricultural challenges.
The campaign aims to help farmers make informed decisions that enhance productivity, profitability and long-term sustainability while strengthening the overall agricultural sector across Jammu Division.
