Agricultural leadership of North India to converge in Lucknow tomorrow
Published: Apr 23, 2026
By TIOLCorplaws News Service
NEW DELHI, APR 23, 2026: ON the initiative of Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, and Rural Development, Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Northern Regional Agriculture Conference scheduled for April 24, Friday, in Lucknow marks a significant step towards farmer-centric, result-oriented, and coordinated agricultural development. Through participation of agriculture ministers, senior officials, scientists, progressive farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), startups, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), financial institutions, and procurement agencies from northern states, a concrete action plan will be prepared on issues related to farming, farmers' income, technology, marketing, and agricultural infrastructure. Regarding preparations for the conference, Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan today held a meeting with senior officials at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, and issued directions.
Under the leadership of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Northern Regional Agriculture Conference is being organised on April 24 in Lucknow with the objective of making the agriculture sector more modern, inclusive, and farmer-oriented. This conference is an important milestone in the series of zonal conferences being held across the country, followed by conferences in the South, North-East, East, and ultimately the National Kharif Conference. States and Union Territories of the northern region including Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand will participate. This extensive participation signals that the central government is advancing agricultural development on the model of shared responsibility and shared solutions.
The programme will commence with lamp lighting, tree plantation, Vande Mataram, and a welcome session, followed by an inaugural address by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also address the conference. This is expected to provide strong direction to the conference at the levels of policy, administration, and implementation. The biggest feature of the conference is that it includes not only formal reviews but also detailed subject-wise discussions on major agricultural schemes and future strategies. The programme covers important issues such as agricultural credit, Kisan Credit Card, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, horticulture potentials, Pulses Mission under Atmanirbhar Bharat, National Edible Oil-Oilseeds Mission, Digital Agriculture Mission, Farmer Registry, fertiliser availability, balanced use, and control over black marketing.
Special emphasis is also being given to sharing successful initiatives from various states. Uttar Pradesh's intercropping with sugarcane and Direct Seeding of Rice, Haryana's land records and 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora', Punjab's crop diversification from paddy, and best practices in horticulture from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will be presented at the conference. The format of the conference is that of multi-stakeholder dialogue, where along with central and state governments, ICAR scientists, representatives of agricultural universities, KVK experts, progressive farmers, women farmer producer organisations, startups, millers, agri-tech companies, value chain partners, NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India), NCCF (Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests), NSC (National Seeds Corporation), and other institutions will be present on one platform. Thus, this conference will serve as a strong bridge between policy-making and ground-level experiences.
Along with Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Ministers of State Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary, Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra, Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Agriculture Commissioner, ICAR Director General Dr. Mangilal Jat, and leading scientists and experts from various subjects will participate in the conference. This high-level presence will make the conference result-oriented.
Sessions focused on pulses, oilseeds, horticulture, digital agriculture, and fertiliser management, along with participation of farmers and FPOs, clearly indicate that the government wants to link agricultural policy with the real needs of fields, farmers, and markets. Especially, the presence of women farmer producer organisations and progressive farmers adds a more inclusive and motivational dimension to agricultural development. This initiative of Shivraj Singh Chouhan strengthens the vision that progress in the agriculture sector is possible not just through announcement of schemes, but through active coordination with states, exchange of best experiences, scientific guidance, technological innovation, and direct participation of farmers. The Northern Regional Conference in Lucknow is set to become a living example of this thinking, from where new resolutions will emerge towards farmers' welfare, productivity enhancement, cost reduction, diversification, digital empowerment, and rural prosperity.
This conference will also provide a strong foundation for preparations of the upcoming National Kharif Conference. This series of zonal conferences, after Jaipur, Lucknow, Visakhapatnam, Guwahati, and Bhubaneswar, will culminate in the National Kharif Conference in Delhi on May 28-29, helping to transform regional experiences into a national agricultural strategy.
Under the leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the central government's clear message is that farmers' welfare, agricultural profitability, technological modernisation, and strong partnership with states will strengthen the foundation of agriculture for a Developed India (Viksit Bharat). The suggestions and action points emerging from the Lucknow conference will infuse new energy, clarity, and direction into agricultural administration for the upcoming Kharif season.
