Khet Bachao Abhiyan: What is ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ and what is the objective of the government behind starting it across the country? What message does Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan want to give to the farmers regarding the use of fertilizers and soil health? What impact can the West Asia crisis have on the availability of fertilizers and the agricultural sector in India?
Khet Bachao Abhiyan Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Indian agriculture is facing a double challenge today. On one hand, there is a need for more production for the increasing population, while on the other hand, the increasing use of chemical fertilizers is increasing the pressure on the health of the soil. To deal with this challenge, the central government is now preparing to reach the farms directly.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan is going to launch the nationwide “Save Farm Campaign” from June 1. This campaign will run for the entire month of June and aims to make farmers aware about balanced fertilizer use, soil fertility conservation and alternative farming techniques.
Will start from Raisen in Madhya Pradesh
This campaign will start from Ramsia village in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. The Agriculture Minister himself will tour the country and communicate directly with the farmers. According to the information, Shivraj Singh Chauhan has contacted the Chief Ministers of various states on phone and has also written letters to them appealing for cooperation in the campaign. The government wants that this should not become just a government program but a public campaign with the participation of farmers.
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After all, why is the save farm campaign being started?
The use of urea and other chemical fertilizers has increased rapidly in the last few years. Agricultural scientists believe that using more fertilizers than required affects the quality of the soil, increases the production cost and can also affect the productivity of farming in the long run. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also stressed many times on balanced fertilizer use and adoption of alternatives like nano urea. In this direction, the Central Government is now starting an awareness campaign at the grassroots level.
Farmers will be told these options
During the campaign, farmers will be provided information on several important topics, including:
- balanced use of fertilizers
- soil health management
- use of nano urea
- Organic and natural farming options
- cost-reducing agricultural techniques
- Awareness about the importance of soil testing
The government believes that if farmers use fertilizers scientifically, costs can be reduced without affecting production and the quality of the soil will also remain better.
Concern increased amid West Asia crisis
This campaign is being launched at a time when global supply chains are under pressure due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Recently, the Central Government had held a meeting of the Group of Ministers under the chairmanship of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the situation in West Asia. The availability of petrol, diesel, LPG, fertilizers and other essential commodities was reviewed in the meeting. The government clarified that the supply of essential commodities in the country remains normal and people do not need to do any panic buying.
Government’s claim on availability of fertilizers
According to government data, the country will require about 390.54 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizers for the Kharif 2026 season. At present 200.47 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizers are available, which is more than 51 percent of the total requirement. The government says that despite the West Asia crisis, additional reserves are being created through imports and domestic production. Large quantities of DAP and NPK fertilizer consignments are expected to reach Indian ports in the coming months.
India’s import dependence is also a big challenge
India is largely dependent on imports for its fertilizer needs. The country imports about 70 percent urea and 100 percent potash. The bulk of these imports come from countries like Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Iran. In such a situation, any instability in West Asia can directly affect Indian agricultural costs. Experts believe that judicious use of fertilizers and promotion of domestic alternatives can help reduce India’s import dependence in the future.
strategy to reach farmers
The government believes that merely ensuring the availability of fertilizers is not enough. It is also important that they are used properly and scientifically. With this thinking in mind, “Save Farm Campaign” has been prepared as a big public awareness program at the farm level. Its objective is to make the farmers understand that more urea does not always guarantee more production, but balanced nutrition is the key to better farming.
Effort to save both farming and soil
According to agriculture experts, India’s food security is not only linked to increasing production but also to maintaining the long-term health of the soil. In such a situation, “Khet Bachao Abhiyaan” is being considered not only as an initiative to reduce fertilizer use, but also as an important step related to sustainable farming and future agricultural security. In the coming one month, it will be interesting to see how much impact this campaign is able to leave among the farmers across the country and how much awareness it is able to create regarding soil conservation.
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