New Delhi : On the initiative of Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Northern Regional Agriculture Conference will be held on April 24 in Lucknow, aiming to drive farmer-centric, result-oriented, and coordinated agricultural development. Ahead of the event, the minister reviewed preparations with senior officials at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi and issued key directions.
The conference will bring together agriculture ministers, policymakers, scientists, progressive farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), startups, and financial and procurement agencies from northern states and Union Territories. The goal is to formulate a comprehensive action plan addressing critical areas such as farmers’ income, modern technology, agricultural marketing, and infrastructure.
Part of a broader series of zonal consultations, the event will see participation from regions including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Chandigarh. It reflects the Centre’s push for collaborative agricultural reforms based on shared responsibility and solutions.
The programme will feature an inaugural address by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with remarks from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Discussions will focus on key schemes and future strategies, including agricultural credit, Kisan Credit Card, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, Digital Agriculture Mission, fertiliser management, and major initiatives like the Pulses Mission and National Edible Oil-Oilseeds Mission.
A key highlight will be the sharing of best practices from states—such as intercropping and direct seeding in Uttar Pradesh, land record systems in Haryana, crop diversification in Punjab, and horticulture innovations from hill states—creating a platform for knowledge exchange between policymakers and practitioners.
The conference will adopt a multi-stakeholder approach, bringing together experts from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, along with institutions like National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India. This inclusive platform aims to bridge policy with ground-level realities.
Senior leaders, including Ministers of State Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary, Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra, and ICAR Director General Mangilal Jat, will participate, ensuring a strong policy and implementation focus.
With dedicated sessions on pulses, oilseeds, horticulture, digital agriculture, and fertiliser use, the conference underscores the government’s intent to align agricultural policy with real field needs. The inclusion of women farmer groups and progressive farmers further highlights a push toward inclusive growth.
The outcomes of the Lucknow conference are expected to shape preparations for the upcoming National Kharif Conference, culminating in New Delhi on May 28–29. The initiative reinforces the Centre’s vision of strengthening agriculture through innovation, cooperation with states, and active farmer participation, contributing to the broader goal of a “Viksit Bharat.”