Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Ji chaired a “National Virtual Interaction Meeting” on September 13, 2026 with all ICAR Institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Farmers across India from KVK, Raisen, Madhya Pradesh through video-conferencing to formally initiate planning and management for the upcoming ‘Rabi 2026–27 season’. During his address and interaction with lakhs of farmers and farm women, Hon’ble Minister discussed on core agricultural strategies like, (i) Developing a comprehensive roadmap for the upcoming Rabi season, (ii) Enhancing crop productivity and boosting total farm income, (iii) Encouraging the adoption of Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) and sustainable agricultural management, (iv) Promotion of Natural Farming and Organic Farming practices, (v) Managing crop residues effectively and reducing resource exploitation, (vi) Addressing farmers’ issues through extensive use of digital platforms, and (vii) Popularization of latest agricultural information and technologies through mass media etc. The live interaction programme was witnessed by over fifty five participants at ICAR-IIWM including forty farmers and farm women from nearby adopted villages. The Minister’s event was followed by a ‘Farmer-Scientist Interaction’ and ‘Exposure Visit of farmers to the Technology Park’ of the Institute to gain firsthand information and experiences on latest crop and water management technologies. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Rabindra Kumar Panda, Director (I/C) of the Institute motivated the farmers to adopt latest and climate resilient crop and water management technologies in order to get more benefit from agriculture and to mitigate upcoming unforeseen challenges. Scientists interacted with the farmers on various aspects and cleared their queries. At the end, the Convener Dr. S.K. Mishra proposed vote of thanks.
