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Rabi conference to be held in Delhi to finalise crop plans
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Monday, 21 September, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed states to complete their agricultural targets and commitments within stipulated timelines, stressing that the decisions taken during the Regional Agriculture Conference for Southern States must translate into concrete action and measurable outcomes.
The Minister announced that the Rabi Conference would be held at Pusa Institute in Delhi on September 28 and 29. Agriculture Ministers and officials from all states will participate with their respective teams and present detailed plans for the Rabi season. The conference will discuss crop choices and the area to be brought under different crops, followed by assessment of seed availability, fertiliser requirements and other essential inputs.
Addressing the concluding session of the conference in Hyderabad, Chouhan said the Centre and states should work as “one agriculture team”, comprising farmers, scientists and officials at both levels. He emphasised that states must act on the actionable points identified during the day-long deliberations rather than repeatedly discussing the same issues.
“If a state has committed to completing Farmer ID generation by December, it must meet that deadline,” Chouhan said, stressing that failure to implement commitments would undermine the purpose of the conference.
He highlighted progress under AgriStack, noting that Telangana and Karnataka had crossed 75% completion in Farmer ID generation. He also pointed to progress in georeferencing in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have completed the Digital Crop Survey, he said.
However, Chouhan called for faster progress in Farmer ID generation in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He also directed states to expedite the linking of land parcels, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and ensure coordination between land records and the Farmer Registry in Kerala.
The Minister called for the preparation and notification of Standard Operating Procedures for tenant farmers, including sharecroppers and agricultural tenants, in southern states. Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were identified for action in this area. Puducherry and Lakshadweep were also directed to undertake georeferencing of village maps.
Chouhan also stressed the need to strengthen direct interaction between farmers and agricultural scientists. Recalling the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, he said scientists from the Government of India and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) would accompany state teams during agricultural outreach programmes. Scientists would visit villages and fields and engage directly with farmers and agriculture officials to facilitate the transfer of research and technical knowledge.
Highlighting the role of technology in agricultural extension, Chouhan said Bharat Vistar has been developed to provide farmers with access to appropriate agricultural advice through mobile phones. The platform is currently available in Hindi and English and is expected to be expanded to 13 regional languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Farmers will be able to seek information in their own language and receive responses in the same language. He also directed that state government schemes be integrated with Bharat Vistar at the earliest.
The Minister said states could organise 15-day or 20-day agricultural campaigns according to their convenience, during which scientists from the Government of India would participate. Referring to the network of around 16,000 agricultural scientists, ICAR institutions, KVKs and agricultural universities, he stressed that agricultural research must reach farmers directly.
“Research must move from lab to land,” Chouhan said, emphasising the need for closer interaction between scientists and farming communities. Chouhan said the government aims to strengthen Indian agriculture and position the country as a global leader in the sector. He also expressed the ambition of making India the “world’s food basket”, stating that achieving this goal would require coordinated efforts across the agricultural ecosystem.
The conference was attended by Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ram Nath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary, along with Agriculture Ministers from Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. Senior officials, including Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Atish Chandra and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, ICAR Dr M. L. Jat, also participated.
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