National Agriculture Conference Announces ₹1200 Crore Support and Growth Initiatives
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired the National Agriculture Conference – Rabi Campaign 2026, attended by Agriculture Ministers and senior officials from various states. The minister emphasized the need for Centre and states to work as 'Team Agriculture' beyond political differences to ensure food security and improve farmers' livelihoods.
Financial Support and Agricultural Performance
Sanction letters worth more than ₹1200 crore were distributed to 10 states under the Prime Minister Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY). The allocation breakdown includes: ₹290 crore for West Bengal, ₹198 crore for Haryana, ₹181 crore for Chhattisgarh, ₹154 crore for Arunachal Pradesh, ₹114 crore for Bihar, ₹104 crore for Karnataka, ₹75 crore for Mizoram, ₹64 crore for Himachal Pradesh, ₹58 crore for Jharkhand, and ₹43 crore for Punjab.
Shri Chouhan highlighted significant agricultural growth achievements, noting that the agriculture growth rate has increased from 3% to 4.5% since 2015. The average annual increase in foodgrain production has more than doubled from around 40 lakh tonnes to 84 lakh tonnes per year. Specifically, rabi foodgrain production recorded an unprecedented increase of 205 lakh tonnes in just two years from 2023-24 to 2025-26.
New Coordination Mechanisms
A new monthly virtual review mechanism with states will be established to strengthen cooperative federalism, similar to weekly reviews conducted at the Centre. At the state level, strong State Agriculture Teams will be constituted involving Agriculture Ministers, Agriculture Secretaries, state agricultural universities, ICAR institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), ATMA, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), progressive farmers, processors, exporters and nodal officers. District-level monthly meetings will involve Collectors, Deputy Directors of Agriculture, ATMA, KVKs, ICAR scientists, bankers and farmers.
An annual calendar for interface meetings was announced: for Kharif campaign, district-level meetings on May 10 and state-level meetings on May 17 annually; for Rabi campaign, district-level meetings on September 10 and state-level meetings on September 17 annually. Additionally, a one-day special meeting will be organized nationwide simultaneously with Agriculture Ministers, officials and agricultural scientists.
Campaigns and Operational Directives
A nationwide 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' (Save Farms Campaign) will run from October 22 to November 30, 2026, with scientists and key stakeholders participating. The campaign will promote balanced fertilizer use based on Soil Health Cards to protect soil fertility and beneficial insects. Large-scale promotion of pulse cultivation in rice fallow areas of eastern India (Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal) after paddy harvest was emphasized.
For rabi preparations, states were directed to base crop and seed recommendations on soil moisture and water availability, implement effective crop protection arrangements from diseases and pests, ensure saturation of all eligible farmers with Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs), and conduct transparent Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) under crop insurance schemes. State ministers were asked to personally review departmental scheme implementation.
Quality Control and Market Strategy
Strict legal action was directed against fake fertilizers, spurious seeds and sub-standard pesticides, with elimination of forced tagging. States were urged to adopt natural farming, integrated farming systems and crop diversification in mission mode.
The government is pursuing a multi-dimensional strategy to ensure remunerative prices for farmers, including strengthening post-harvest management, scientific warehousing and marketing systems. 100% assured government procurement of tur, urad and masoor at MSP will be undertaken with arrangements for payment within 48 hours. India will leverage Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to connect agricultural products with global markets, aiming to make India a global 'food basket'.