Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in the "Krishi Jan Kalyan Samvad" in Patna on August 20, 2026, emphasizing integrated farming and natural farming as primary strategies to increase farmer income. The minister highlighted that integrated farming can reduce risk and generate stable income throughout the year, specifically citing the ICAR Eastern Campus demonstration model where 2-3 bigha plots are divided for multiple crops including wheat, gram, mustard, and maize after paddy cultivation. The integrated approach additionally incorporates fish farming in ponds, poultry units, duck farming, vine vegetables, fruit trees, and fodder fields, which collectively enable many families to achieve annual income up to ₹2 lakh.
Shri Chouhan urged farmers to experiment with natural and advanced farming on small portions of land before full-scale adoption, noting that excessive chemical fertilizer use degrades soil health. He announced that the Centre and states will collaborate on marketing and branding initiatives for organic products to help farmers secure better prices and recognition. The event featured progressive farmers including Shri Ramjeet Sharma, Shri Ramkumar Vinay, Sushila Devi Ji, and Shri Sudhanshu, whose experiences were commended by the minister with assurances that their suggestions would be seriously considered.
The minister was accompanied by Bihar Agriculture Minister Shri Vijay Kumar Sinha, Rural Development Minister Shri Shravan Kumar, and Revenue Minister Shri Dilip Jaiswal, along with senior officials, agricultural experts, and rural representatives. Chouhan characterized farmers as the "backbone of the country" and "Living God," emphasizing his preference for field visits over hotel stays to understand agricultural conditions firsthand. He committed to future visits to Bihar to monitor soil improvement initiatives and farmer livelihood enhancements, promising concrete steps through central-state cooperation.