Southern States Agri Meet in Visakhapatnam Focuses on Scheme Implementation, Tribal Empowerment, & Digital Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) recently organized a regional conference in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, to review the progress of agricultural schemes across the Southern States and Union Territory (UT). Attended by DA&FW Secretary Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi and senior officials from Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, and Puducherry, the conference aimed to address implementation challenges, share best practices, and strengthen collaborative efforts for sustainable agricultural development.

Dr. Chaturvedi highlighted the government’s commitment to supporting farmers and improving agricultural infrastructure. He urged states to expedite the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) by ensuring timely fund allocation and resolving issues related to State contributions and Single Nodal Account (SNA) balances. He also highlighted the need for state-level conferences to address region-specific agricultural challenges.

A significant discussion revolved around the recently launched Dharti Aaba Janajatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA), an initiative approved by the Union Cabinet to empower tribal communities through sustainable livelihoods and forest conservation. States were encouraged to align projects under DA-JGUA and reallocate funds within the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) framework to maximize benefits for vulnerable populations.

The review covered major schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY), Krishonnati Yojana (KY), and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). States were advised to finalize the 2025-26 action plan by December to ensure timely fund releases, and flexibility in fund utilization across schemes was explained in detail. The conference also highlighted enhancing digital integration under the Digital Agriculture Mission, streamlining crop surveys, and aligning land records with Agristack for efficient operation of PM KISAN.

High-priority topics discussed included the National Edible Oils Mission, the e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and initiatives such as Namo Drone Didi and the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF). Vijay Kumar, the advisor from Andhra Pradesh, presented the state's efforts to promote natural farming.

The event concluded with an open house session, discussing issues such as tenure farming, intercropping, organic practices, and micro-irrigation.