New Delhi, Aug 7 (NationPress) The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday for his groundbreaking 'lab-to-land' strategy designed to empower farmers nationwide and eliminate hunger.

"Every word of the Prime Minister serves as a guiding mantra for us. A year ago, during his visit to the Pusa Complex, he urged us to embrace the lab-to-land initiative. Our agricultural progress hinges on uniting science and farmers," he stated.

Chouhan highlighted various initiatives inspired by PM Modi, such as the Adhunik Krishi Chaupal and the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Initiative. As part of these efforts, 2,170 scientific teams reached over 64,000 villages and had direct interactions with more than one crore farmers.

During the inauguration of the M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference at ICAR PUSA in New Delhi, PM Modi inaugurated the global conference and unveiled a commemorative coin honoring Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, the architect of India’s Green Revolution.

Reflecting on Swaminathan's impact, Chouhan articulated, "While everyone strives for personal gain, true purpose lies in serving others, society, and the world. Such was the essence of Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, who was deeply moved during the Bengal famine of 1942-43, dedicating himself to agriculture and the mission to eradicate hunger."

Chouhan recalled a pivotal moment in Indian agricultural history when, in 1966, 18,000 tonnes of Mexican wheat were introduced and blended with Punjabi varieties to create a new wheat strain, resulting in a significant increase in production.

The Union Minister underscored India's agricultural prowess, stating, "We have a surplus in rice production and self-sufficiency in wheat. Under PM Modi's leadership, we are providing free rations to 80 crore people. Consequently, no one in the country is facing hunger now."

He stressed the importance of diversifying crop production.

"We must now focus on enhancing the yield of soybeans, peanuts, mustard seeds, sesame, chickpeas, and lentils. We are progressing in this direction under the Prime Minister's guidance. The vision that Swaminathan had was not limited to India, but embraced the world, and I pay homage to him as I follow the path he laid out," Chouhan concluded.

He ended with a strong message of global responsibility: "India is more than just a nation; it is a 'Vishwabandhu', working for the world under the Prime Minister’s leadership. We will strive to eliminate hunger and food scarcity globally."