Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan participated in a tree-plantation drive on Sunday, 14 June 2026, at village Berkhedi Jetu in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, on the occasion of the bhoomi poojan (ground-breaking ceremony) of a new Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' programme. He was joined by Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kanjed and Vidisha MLA Mukesh Tandon, along with other dignitaries.

Chouhan posted about the event on X under his ongoing #OnePlantADay pledge, writing: 'Pratideen paudharopan ke sankalp ke kram mein' ('As part of my daily tree-plantation resolve'), he planted saplings alongside state leaders and called on citizens to join the effort. 'Let us all plant saplings and resolve to make our earth green and prosperous,' he wrote.

Context

The event combined two distinct government initiatives: the bhoomi poojan for a new KVK in Vidisha district, and a local edition of the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, a campaign centred on farmland protection, soil conservation and sustainable agriculture. The choice of venue — a future agricultural science centre — underscores the government's intent to tie environmental messaging directly to farm-extension infrastructure.

Chouhan has maintained a public commitment to planting at least one sapling every day, a personal pledge he has promoted consistently on social media. The #OnePlantADay hashtag has become a recurring feature of his public communications since assuming the Union Agriculture portfolio.

Policy Backdrop

Krishi Vigyan Kendras form India's district-level backbone of agricultural extension, operating under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). They provide farmer training, technology demonstration and on-ground support for government schemes. A new KVK in Vidisha would expand these services to local farming communities in the region.

Tree plantation has been woven into Indian agricultural policy for decades, beginning with the national Van Mahotsav week introduced in 1950. More recently, the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (2010) integrated afforestation goals with climate-resilient farming under the broader National Action Plan on Climate Change, providing a policy lineage for events such as today's.

Stakeholders and Impact

Farmers and rural communities in Vidisha district stand to be the most immediate beneficiaries of the new KVK, which will offer technical guidance on crop management, soil health and water conservation once operational. The Khet Bachao Abhiyan component adds a soil-protection dimension, addressing land degradation concerns that affect agricultural productivity across Madhya Pradesh.

The presence of both the Union Agriculture Minister and the state Agriculture Minister at the same event reflects the pattern of centre-state coordination on farm and environment programmes, signalling that the KVK project carries backing at both levels of government.

What's Next

Attention will turn to the construction timeline for the new Vidisha KVK and the roll-out targets set under the Khet Bachao Abhiyan in Madhya Pradesh. Progress reports on both initiatives are expected to surface in upcoming state assembly sessions and ICAR review meetings. Chouhan's daily plantation drive is also likely to continue drawing public attention as a visible, symbolic complement to the government's broader green-agriculture agenda.