“Now, agricultural research topics will not be decided in Delhi, but in the fields through discussions with farmers” – Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development  Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that under the leadership of Prime Minister  Narendra Modi, the country is progressing rapidly. India has now become the fourth largest economy in the world.  Chouhan emphasized that for a developed India, a developed agriculture sector and prosperous farmers are essential. Under the leadership of PM Modi, efforts are being made to increase agricultural production, reduce costs, compensate for crop losses, ensure fair prices for produce, and promote natural farming.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Union Agriculture Minister   Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a strategic initiative has been designed based on key issues highlighted during the recently conducted nationwide ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’. This strategy focuses on the development of major crops, both crop-wise and state-wise.

Speaking to the media on enhancing soybean productivity, Union Minister  Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that food grain production has risen by 44% in the past 11 years. Despite having over 16,000 agricultural scientists, a gap between lab research and field application persisted. To address this, the government launched the ‘Lab-to-Land’ approach under the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’, during which 2,170 teams engaged with over 13.5 million farmers to align research with real-world farming needs.

During these interactions, key research priorities emerged based on farmers’ inputs.  Chouhan emphasized a significant shift in approach—research topics will no longer be decided solely by scientists in Delhi, but through direct engagement with farmers in the fields. Recognizing that farmers are best positioned to understand on-ground challenges, he noted that many have already introduced innovative practices. Going forward, scientists will focus on refining and scaling these farmer-led innovations to drive practical, impactful solutions in agriculture.

He mentioned that during the campaign, many farmers reported the use of substandard seeds and pesticides, and raised concerns about seed availability. In response, a detailed workshop was conducted, where it was decided to have comprehensive discussions with the farmers, agricultural universities, stakeholders, and others.

Chouhan added that further research will focus on increasing per-hectare productivity. Techniques like genome editing will be used to develop improved seeds. New technologies will be adopted to prevent root rot in soybean crops. As finding agricultural labourer’s is increasingly difficult, mechanization must be promoted. Research will focus on disease-resistant crop varieties, seed treatment, and timely disease identification.

He highlighted that soybean is a major source of protein, and efforts should be made to enhance the use and export of soymeal. Value-added products such as tofu and soy milk should also be promoted. Progressive farmers have reported achieving yields of 20 quintals per acre and shared their methods; efforts will be made to learn from such farmers.

Chouhan stated that while today’s discussion is focused on soybean, future consultations will be held in Coimbatore on cotton, in Meerut on sugarcane, and in Kanpur on pulses. The aim is to improve the productivity of all major crops.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to agricultural development, Chouhan stated: “Our mantra is: One Nation – One Agriculture – One Team. All stakeholders must work together to ensure comprehensive and sustainable growth in agriculture.”