The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, has launched the National flagship initiative Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyaan, being held from 29th May to 12th June 2025, to promote sustainable and inclusive agricultural development across the country.
In alignment with this mission, ICAR – Indian Institute of Millets (Shree Anna) Research (ICAR-IIMR), Hyderabad, is actively participating in the campaign through targeted outreach programs in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. A team of 20 scientists from ICAR-IIMR were sent to work across five districts in collaboration with five Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVKs), directly engaging with farming communities to address their challenges with scientific solutions.
The focus of the campaign is to empower farmers with knowledge on advanced millet cultivation practices. This includes training on the adoption of high-yielding, climate-resilient millet varieties, which can withstand weather extremes and enhanced productivity. Farmers are also receiving expert guidance on integrated pest and disease management techniques to minimize crop losses. The campaign features demonstrations on post-harvest processing and value addition methods. These techniques not only improve the shelf life and nutritional profile of millet-based products but also increase their market appeal, creating new income opportunities for smallholder farmers.
A key component of the campaign is creating awareness about Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and their benefits. Farmers are being encouraged to join or form FPOs to improve collective bargaining, reduce input costs, and access better markets, ultimately leading to higher incomes. It is also collaborated with ICAR-KVK, Banavasi to empower the Tribal Farmers of Kurnool district with improved foxtail Millet Seed of 20 Quintals through the Farmers Producer Organization (FPOs) located in the Kurnool Districts.
Through these concerted efforts, ICAR-IIMR as a leading institution in the millet sector, continues to spearhead efforts to promote millets as crops of the future—offering nutrition, climate resilience, and economic stability to farmers.
Dr. C. Tara Satyavathi, Director, ICAR-IIMR, highlighted the significance of the campaign, stating, “Many farmers in remote areas are unable to reach agricultural experts with their field-level problems. This campaign will bridge that gap by creating a direct interface between farmers and experts, including breeders and scientists. It will be a major step towards solving farmers’ problems through real-time interaction and expert guidance.” Dr. B Gangaiah, Nodal Officer, ICAR-IIMR, Hyderabad is coordinating the activities and ensuring smooth execution of outreach efforts across the two states.
https://www.millets.res.in/viksit.php
