Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK : The ‘Save the Fields’ campaign is set to begin from June 1, jointly launched by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Rural Development.

The preparations for the initiative was chaired on Saturday by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The minister outlined that the primary objective of the campaign will be to promote balanced and rational use of fertilizers, provide timely weather-based advisory support to farmers, encourage active participation at the panchayat level, and ensure direct delivery of government welfare schemes to rural areas.

Chouhan emphasized that reducing the overuse and unregulated application of chemical fertilizers, particularly nitrogen-based fertilizers, will be a key focus area of the campaign. Farmers will be encouraged to adopt soil-test-based fertilizer application methods and use organic and bio-fertilizers. Demonstrations on integrated nutrient management practices will also be conducted across regions.

The media after the meeting, the minister said that in view of upcoming weather-related uncertainties, farmers will be given practical, field-level guidance. This includes advice on crop selection, crop diversification, water-efficient farming methods, and alternative cultivation strategies suitable for risk-prone conditions.

It was also decided that the campaign will be strongly implemented at the panchayat level. Distribution of modern agricultural tools, linking farmers with government schemes, and direct benefit delivery mechanisms will be integrated into the initiative to ensure maximum outreach.

The minister added that the campaign will not remain confined to a single department but will involve coordination across states. Chief Ministers, ministers, MPs, MLAs, and other public representatives will be encouraged to actively participate so that the initiative becomes a large-scale public movement rather than just an administrative programme.

Agricultural Science Centres (Krishi Vigyan Kendras) have been assigned the role of nodal coordinating institutions for the campaign. More than 1,600 teams have been formed across the country, along with 500 special teams in 100 districts where chemical fertilizer consumption is highest. These teams will include scientists from ICAR, officials from agriculture departments, and field experts.

Chouhan further stated that the campaign will go beyond fertilizer management and will also ensure the effective delivery of key schemes such as Kisan Credit Card, PM-Kisan Yojana (including inclusion of excluded beneficiaries), oilseed and pulse missions, oil palm and cotton missions, soil health initiatives, water conservation programmes, and region-specific agricultural advisories, making it a comprehensive and multi-dimensional rural development initiative.