Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday, 31 May 2026 announced a nationwide campaign called 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' (Save the Farm Campaign), to be conducted across India from 1 June to 30 June 2026, aimed at educating farmers on balanced fertiliser use, identifying spurious pesticides, and transitioning toward natural farming.

Context

Addressing farmers directly, Chouhan wrote: 'Dharti hamaari maa hai' ('The earth is our mother'), stressing that unbalanced use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is steadily eroding soil fertility. He framed the campaign as a response to a call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, positioning it as a people's movement rather than a top-down government directive.

The minister urged farmers to join the campaign, follow scientific advice on fertiliser application, and gradually move toward natural farming practices. The post, written in Hindi, was addressed to 'priya kisaan bahon aur bhaaiyon' — 'dear farmer sisters and brothers' — signalling an outreach tone rather than a policy announcement.

Policy Backdrop

The Khet Bachao Abhiyan sits within a longer arc of central government initiatives targeting soil degradation and chemical overuse. The Soil Health Card scheme, launched in 2015, was designed to encourage balanced fertiliser application based on soil-test results, while the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, also introduced in 2015, has supported organic farming clusters and helped farmers reduce dependence on synthetic inputs.

The new campaign extends this policy lineage by deploying a ground-level mobilisation model. Agricultural scientists, experts from agricultural universities, and officials from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) — the network of farm science centres under ICAR — will travel village to village alongside government officers, elected representatives, and progressive farmers to deliver hands-on guidance.

Stakeholders and Impact

Small and marginal farmers stand as the primary audience for the campaign, particularly those in regions where decades of heavy chemical application have visibly reduced crop yields and soil organic matter. The village-level outreach model is intended to reach farmers who may have limited access to formal agricultural extension services.

The involvement of KVKs, which operate in nearly every district of the country, gives the campaign significant last-mile reach. Identifying counterfeit and substandard pesticides — one of the campaign's stated goals — addresses a persistent problem that causes both crop losses and unnecessary chemical exposure for farming households.

What's Next

The effectiveness of the June 2026 rollout will likely be measured through farmer participation numbers and any reported shifts in input-use behaviour at the district level. State governments will be expected to coordinate with central officials and KVKs to organise village camps and awareness sessions throughout the month.

If the campaign generates measurable uptake, it could inform budget allocations and programme design for subsequent agricultural seasons, particularly as the government continues to push the natural farming agenda as a long-term complement to food security policy.