Khet Bachao Abhiyan to Run 22 October to 30 November

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a virtual meeting with state agriculture ministers on 17 October 2026 to review preparations for the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, a farm awareness campaign to be run from 22 October to 30 November 2026. Ministers from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Assam, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Maharashtra joined the meeting.

Who else attended

Minister of State Bhagirath Choudhary, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Atish Chandra, and the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Dr M. L. Jat were present. The Minister asked states to name nodal officers at state and district level, told district collectors to be briefed, and said the campaign must not be reduced to a formality but must leave farmers with something they can use.

The numbers set as targets

What the campaign will teach

The themes include management of crop residue, integrated pest management, better soil health, climate-resilient farming and the promotion of oilseeds and pulses. Natural farming, integrated farming systems, farm mechanisation and regenerative practices are to be encouraged, along with balanced use of fertiliser, green ammonia and organic inputs, water conservation, crop diversification, intercropping and the choice of suitable crops and varieties. Fields left empty after the paddy harvest are to be put to use so that cropping intensity rises. Camps will also help farmers create the Farmer ID, explain the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the gains from trade agreements, enrol the eligible under the Kisan Credit Card, distribute seed and farm machinery and issue soil health cards. States may fix the dates of their own activities to suit local needs, but the Minister insisted the opening must be effective and the groundwork finished in time.