ICAR–CIFT Participates in Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan

The ICAR–Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) will actively participate in the upcoming ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’, a nationwide campaign being launched by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Scheduled to run from May 29 to June 12, the campaign aims to strengthen the connection between scientists and farmers, with a focus on promoting advanced technologies and sustainable agricultural practices.

Dr. George Ninan , Director of ICAR-CIFT informed that as part of this nationwide initiative, 47 scientists from ICAR–CIFT will cover 14 districts, reaching out to over 1,008 villages benefiting approximately 2.25 lakh farmers in Kerala through awareness programmes, demonstrations, and direct farmer engagement.

The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan will be conducted across more than 700 districts nationwide, with the participation of 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), 113 ICAR research institutes, State Agricultural Universities, innovative farmers, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). The campaign focuses on bridging the gap between scientific research and field-level implementation to make Indian agriculture more productive, sustainable, and profitable.

Farmers will be educated on topics such as emerging agricultural fisheries technologies, improved crop varieties, drone application in farming, ICT-enabled cropping systems, natural farming, mechanisation, processing, value addition, entrepreneurship and crop diversification. The multidisciplinary teams, which include officials from agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, and fisheries departments, will facilitate knowledge exchange and field-specific advisories.

CIFT scientists will play a key role in delivering on-farm training, conducting demonstrations, and offering guidance entrepreneurial opportunities in fish processing, and value addition. Farmers will also be informed about various government welfare schemes and support programmes, equipping them to adopt innovative techniques and improve profitability.

This campaign marks a significant step in integrating institutional knowledge with grassroots farming practices. Through this direct interaction, farmers will not only benefit from scientific insights but also contribute to shaping future agricultural research priorities.