Tag: Crop Diversification

Farmer Daulatram Sahu of Janglesar village has cultivated coriander on 2.5 acres instead of summer paddy, with support from the Horticulture Department, highlighting the growing push for crop diversification in Rajnandgaon district.

Rajnandgaon district has exceeded its seed production registration target under the Rabi 2025–26 Seed Production Programme, achieving coverage of 1,146 hectares against the prescribed target of 1,000 hectares. Officials said the milestone reflects strong farmer participation and focused efforts by the Agriculture Department to promote certified seed production, particularly in pulses and oilseeds.

A Rajnandgaon farmer’s decision to shift from paddy to tomato cultivation, supported by the National Horticulture Mission, has resulted in ₹10 lakh in sales and ₹7 lakh in net profit, showcasing the benefits of horticulture and modern farming techniques.

Agriculture Production Commissioner Mrs Shehla Nigar reviewed the progress of central and state agricultural schemes and crop diversification programmes during a field visit to several villages in Rajnandgaon district. Emphasising low-water crops, MSP procurement and natural farming, she interacted with farmers and officials to ensure effective implementation of government initiatives.

A Rajnandgaon farmer has shifted from summer paddy to maize cultivation after crop losses last year, citing lower water use, reduced costs and nearly double profit per acre.

In a significant step towards groundwater conservation and sustainable farming, the Khursipar Gram Sabha of Chhuria development block has unanimously decided not to cultivate paddy during the upcoming Rabi season. Farmers were encouraged to shift to less water-intensive crops and were made aware of the long-term benefits of crop diversification.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 21st installment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi from Coimbatore, transferring ₹20.64 crore to 1,03,203 farmers of Rajnandgaon district through the Aadhaar-based system. A district-level program was held at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sargi, with officials encouraging farmers to embrace modern and diversified farming.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched two major farmer welfare schemes worth over Rs 35,000 crore—Dhana-Dhanya Krishi Yojana for crop diversification and Krishak Samriddhi Yojana for direct benefit transfers—aimed at boosting productivity, promoting sustainable farming, and enhancing rural livelihoods across India. Over 1.7 crore farmers are expected to benefit, with early registrations already crossing 50 lakh.

The General Assembly meeting of Rajnandgaon Zila Panchayat, chaired by President Kiran Vaishnav, focused on crop diversification, water supply projects, fair price shop allocations, and a comprehensive review of departmental progress across the district.

During a district-level review of Su-Shasan Tihar 2025 in Rajnandgaon, Secretary Avinash Champawat called for strategic action to solve public issues and ensure effective delivery of government schemes like Ayushman Card, PMAY, and Jal Jeevan Mission, with over 1.27 lakh applications received and 84,000 resolved so far.