Chhattisgarh News: Will Dantewada’s ‘Save Farm Campaign’ change the fate of farmers? Will millets farming become a new source of income? Will 40 seed banks give new strength to agriculture? Is Dantewada going to become a model of sustainable farming for the entire country?
Raipur. Chhattisgarh government is continuously promoting natural farming and cultivation of millets (coarse grains) with the aim of increasing the income of farmers, improving the quality of agricultural land and providing nutritious food grains to the people. Natural farming is a method that helps in maintaining soil fertility for a long time and also helps in water conservation. Through this, consumers get chemical-free and safe food products. In this farming, farmers do not have to depend on expensive chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which reduces the cost of farming and creates the possibility of increasing profits.
‘Save Farm Campaign’ will start in Dantewada
“Khet Bachao Abhiyan” is being started in Dantewada district to preserve the productivity of agricultural land, reduce the expenses of farmers and to give natural agriculture the form of a mass movement. The main objective of this special action plan prepared by the Agriculture Department is to improve soil health, promote water conservation, preserve traditional seeds and expand the scope of natural farming. This campaign is being considered an important step towards establishing Dantewada as a model district of natural agriculture, biodiversity conservation and farmer prosperity.
Special focus will be on millets based farming
Keeping in mind the geographical conditions, tribal traditions and rich biodiversity of the district, this campaign will be implemented in all the four development blocks of Dantewada in a phased manner. The core message of the campaign is that soil is not just a means of crop production, but a vibrant ecosystem, the protection of which is linked to the future food security and prosperity of farmers.
Crops like jowar, bajra, ragi (madiya), kodo and kutki will be promoted. These crops have been placed in the category of ‘Superfood’ and ‘Shri Anna’. Millets give good yields even with less water and resources and perform better even in drought conditions.
What are the main objectives of Khet Bachao Abhiyan?
Under Khet Bachao Abhiyan, priority will be given to improvement of soil quality, expansion of natural farming, conservation of traditional seeds and water and moisture conservation. Farmers will gradually be motivated from chemical farming towards natural and organic farming, so that along with environmental protection, the cost of farming can also be reduced.
The action plan of Khet Bachao Abhiyan will be implemented in five phases.
Under the campaign, first of all soil health mapping will be strengthened in the district and the soil health card system will be made effective. In the second phase, cultivation of nutritious millets and local crops like Ragi, Kodo and Kutki will be promoted.
In the third phase, farmers will be trained in organic fertilizer, vermicompost and blue-green algae production so that their dependence on external agricultural inputs can be reduced. After this, traditional seed markets and community seed banks will be established, so that conservation and use of local seeds can be increased.
In the final phase, large scale planting of green manure providing plants like Gliricidia will be done on the ridges of the fields. Under the campaign, a target of distribution and planting of one lakh saplings has been set.
Khet Bachao Yojana will be implemented in 135 Gram Panchayats
A target has been set to implement this campaign in 135 gram panchayats of the district during the financial year 2025-26. Under this, natural farming will be promoted in 4,600 hectare area, while a plan has been made to increase millets production in 4,300 hectare area. Besides, 40 community seed banks will be established.
The government is also working towards promoting the distribution of millets-based food grains through the Public Distribution System (PDS). Apart from this, entrepreneurs producing millets based products will also be encouraged.
Farmers will get economic and health benefits
With effective implementation of the campaign, the amount of organic carbon in farms is likely to increase in the coming three years. By reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the production cost of farmers can be reduced by 35 to 40 percent. Along with this, new opportunities will also be created to deliver the millets produced in Dantewada to the national market.
Millets are also considered very beneficial from nutritional point of view. Essential micro and macro nutrients are found in sufficient quantities in these. These are useful for heart health, help strengthen bones, prevent anemia and contribute to reducing the risk of diabetes. They are also helpful in maintaining healthy weight and improving the digestive system.
Dantewada in the direction of becoming a sustainable agricultural model
Apart from Ragi, cultivation of Kodo-Kutki, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Pulses and Oilseed crops is also being promoted in Dantewada district. The Agriculture Department is motivating farmers to adopt multi-cropping farming so that their sources of income increase and agriculture can become more sustainable.
Agricultural experts believe that this campaign is not limited to just changing farming techniques, but is a comprehensive initiative towards securing the soil, water resources, biodiversity and livelihood of farmers. If this scheme achieves its set goals, Dantewada can become an example for the entire state as a successful model of natural farming and sustainable agriculture.