In villages across India, scientists are working alongside farmers, blending knowledge and trust to reshape agricultural futures. On a hot midday in early June, in a small village in Odisha, 65-year-old farmer Dhananjay Sahu sat beneath a mango tree, surrounded by fellow farmers and a team of young scientists. They weren’t officials delivering speeches. They were listeners, demonstrators, and problem-solvers—armed with soil-testing kits, improved seed varieties, and, most importantly, the humility to engage.
For Dhananjay, this wasn’t just another government event. “It felt like someone had come not to teach us, but to stand with us,” he said. This sentiment echoed across more than 1.4 lakh villages, as part of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan 2025—a quiet, determined revolution that may well redefine Indian agriculture.
A Campaign Rooted in the Soil
Launched on May 29, 2025, the 15-day Abhiyan brought together over 2,100 teams and 16,000 agricultural experts, reaching more than 1.35 crore farmers across 728 districts. From the cotton fields of Haryana to the tribal hamlets of Chhattisgarh, scientists from ICAR institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) walked into fields, sat with farmers, and listened.
They demonstrated how to use soil health cards effectively, explained seed treatment methods for Kharif crops, and discussed low-cost pest management practices. But more than information, they brought a message of solidarity: "You are not alone in this journey. Science stands with you."
This was not a one-sided broadcast. Farmers asked tough questions—about poor input quality, unaffordable pest management, unpredictable markets, and the stress of climate change. The experts didn’t have all the answers—but they took the questions seriously.
The Bigger Picture: Atmanirbharta in Agriculture
Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan is not just about crop productivity. It’s part of a deeper national aspiration—to make Indian agriculture Atmanirbhar (self-reliant). For decades, India’s farmers have fed the nation. But ironically, India still depends on imports for over 60% of its edible oil, struggles to meet domestic demand for pulses, and faces recurring input quality issues. The Abhiyan seeks to reverse this trend—by empowering farmers with knowledge, improving input systems, and rebuilding trust in public extension services.
It is agriculture not just as subsistence—but as a source of pride, enterprise, and sovereignty. In the words of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, “This is not merely a government program. It is a jan-andolan—a people’s movement for a self-reliant India.”
From Campaign to Mission: The Dawn of Krishi Vistaar
The real strength of this campaign lies in what follows. VKSA is the launchpad for Krishi Vistaar—a proposed long-term, national mission to reimagine the way India supports its farmers. Krishi Vistaar is not another scheme. It’s a systemic shift. One that moves from top-down advice to bottom-up co-creation, from fragmented outreach to saturation-level coverage, and from output metrics to outcome-oriented impact.
Some key pillars:
• Crop-specific campaigns (dubbed “Crop Wars”) focusing on pulses, oilseeds, millets, cotton, and sugarcane.
• Use of digital tools—AI-based advisories, real-time pest alerts, climate dashboards, and mobile apps to reach even the remotest farms.
• Integrated extension networks, bringing together ICAR, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), NGOs, agri-startups, and local farmer groups under a single coordinated strategy.
VKSA gave a glimpse of this future. Farmers were not just informed—they were involved. Many events were co-hosted with FPOs. Youth volunteers acted as Krishi Sakhis and Krishi Mitras. Women farmers demonstrated composting and millet-based recipes. It was decentralized, diverse, and deeply rooted.
Stories That Will Stay with Us
In Sitapur, a group of marginal farmers asked for training in post-harvest value addition so they could earn more from their chilies. In Anantapur, an elderly woman farmer shyly asked if someone could help her digitize her land records. In Latur, a young man who had returned from the city after a failed job search said, “If agriculture becomes viable, I’ll never leave again.” In Ladakh, a lady asked, “If my apricots can be dried to get a good market?” In Punjab, an old farmer asked about a mechanized transplanter. In Arunachal Pradesh, one young farmer asked, “If I can sell my ginger and pineapples in Delhi?”
These stories are not policy notes. They are the lived realities that the Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan uncovered—and that Krishi Vistaar now seeks to address at scale.
Why This Matters Now
The stakes have never been higher. Agriculture today is not just about food—it is about climate security, employment, export competitiveness, and rural dignity.
• Over 86% of India’s farmers are small and marginal. They need precision—not one-size-fits-all advice.
• Water scarcity, soil degradation, and market volatility are intensifying. Technology can help, but only if it reaches the right hands.
• India has seen how mission-mode execution has worked in digital finance, space tech, and sanitation. Agriculture needs its own moment of urgency and unity.
VKSA showed that a science-led, people-first approach is not only possible—it is powerful.
A Different Kind of Green Revolution
If the first Green Revolution was about production, this one is about participation. If the past was driven by inputs, the future will be shaped by institutions, inclusivity, and innovation.
As the sun sets on VKSA 2025, a new sunrise is visible on the horizon—one where India’s farmers are not waiting for help but are shaping their own destiny. With Krishi Vistaar as the guiding light, and the spirit of Atmanirbharta as its fuel, Indian agriculture may soon witness not just reform—but a quiet, dignified revolution.
Major Learnings of VKSA
• Convergence is a major tool that has multiplier impacts.
• Demand-driven research has the capacity to deliver solutions within a timeline. Farmer-led innovations have shown that there is a need to co-work and co-create for faster delivery.
Thus, there is an urgent need to connect the science of discovery with the science of delivery, and the role of VKSA is quite obvious in the present scenario of climate change.
(Writer is Deputy Director General, Agricultural Extension, Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Views expressed in the article are personal)