India Agriculture Minister urges states to plan Rabi crops around water availability

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged Indian states to align their Rabi crop plans with local water availability and soil moisture levels. Speaking at the National Agriculture Conference in New Delhi, Chouhan warned that planting water-intensive crops without adequate irrigation supplies could lead to significant losses.

To mitigate risks from climate change and erratic rainfall, Chouhan requested that every state and district prepare a water budget. He highlighted drought concerns in Maharashtra, which has declared a drought, and Karnataka, which is facing drought-like conditions. Central teams are scheduled to visit these regions for ground assessments.

The two-day conference aims to strengthen coordination between the Centre and states to enhance agricultural productivity, sustainability, and farmer incomes. Discussions involve stakeholders such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and focus on themes including climate-resilient agriculture, digital agriculture, and missions for pulses, oilseeds, and oil palm.