Union Minister Ramnath Thakur Advocates for Eco-Friendly Agriculture and DSR Technology Implementation During a Two-Day Stint in Varanasi
Union Minister Ramnath Thakur Tours Varanasi for Sustainable Ag Vision
In a bid to boost sustainable agriculture and champion advanced technologies, Union Minister Ramnath Thakur, the Man of the Hour for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, graced Varanasi district with his presence from June 11 to 12, 2025, as part of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. This nationwide initiative, sprouting from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, is dedicated to cultivating sustainable farming practices, upgrading tech-savvy farming methods, and fostering direct engagement with our beloved farmers.
On day one, under a scorching sun, Thakur meandered through Paniyara village, where the International Rice Research Institute – South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), in tandem with the ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), orchestrated a jaw-dropping display of the Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technology and other eco-friendly techniques destined to combat climate woes and catapult farm productivity.
Kicking things off in Paniyara, the ISARC squad, helmed by Dr. R. K. Malik and Dr. Anthony, painted a rosy picture of DSR, dating back to the May 26, 2025 planting under moist vattar conditions. Confirmed by a live demonstration employing a sleek step seeder, impressively uniform row and plant spacing was the name of the game, paving the way for more manageable mechanized weed control. With pride projected in his voice, Dr. Malik revealed that ISARC's strategic partnership with the Government of Uttar Pradesh engineered 200 hectares of DSR cluster demonstrations across eight districts in both the Varanasi and Gorakhpur divisions, commencing during the Kharif season.
Eager to connect with our farmers on a deeper level, Thakur swapped pleasantries with our hardworking agrarian brethren and took note of their pioneering adoption of DSR. Understanding the water-saving benefits, these farmers shared a common objective with Thakur: conservation, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and efficiency enhancement - key tenets of Thakur's farming agenda. Patting our farmers on the back, Thakur applauded their visionary spirit and admired their readiness to embrace innovations that optimize labor and productivity.
In a heart-to-heart discussion with our farmers, Thakur posed a thought-provoking question: how might we cultivate rice using less water? Merely days prior, the Prime Minister had posed the same dilemma to our scientific minds. Seizing the opportunity to weave together local brilliance and his own political prowess, Thakur passionately reaffirmed his conviction that DSR, a proven solution harnessing 30% water savings, represented the ideal answer to our Prime Minister's call.
The IRRI South Asia Regional Centre, a veritable cornerstone of DSR's growth, stood at the forefront of this paradigm-shifting movement toward sustainability and climate resilience. In a happier-than-grinning gesture of gratitude, Dr. R. K. Malik lauded the Minister for his steadfast dedication to farmer welfare and expressed hope that such support would further encourage the integration of sustainable practices akin to DSR.
On the following day, June 12, Thakur energized the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Varanasi, by christening the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. The ensuing interactive discussions with scholars, officers, and dear farmers ignited a flicker of hope for smallholder farmers. In a fiery address, Thakur firmly asserted that KVKs and ISARC had an indispensable role in extracting the full potential of research breakthroughs and translating them into tangible, on-the-ground solutions.
Throughout both days, the ISARC exhibitions wowed Thakur with displays of climate-resistant rice varieties, rice-based nutrient-rich products, and technologies tailor-made for smallholder farmers. The ISARC team received Thakur's acknowledgment for their exceptional dedication to exhibiting real-world solutions adapted to local agro-ecological settings.
Wrapping up his trip, Thakur reaffirmed the Government of India's steadfast commitment to supporting climate-smart agriculture, reducing expenditures, and elevating rural livelihoods through ingenuity, cutting-edge partnerships, and farmer-centric policies.
References:
[1] https://example.com/dsr_benefits
[2] https://example.com/farmer_training
[3] https://example.com/dsr_implementation
[4] https://example.com/scientific_farming
First published on: 12 Jun 2025, 12:45 IST
During his visit to Varanasi, Union Minister Ramnath Thakur embraced the use of technology in agriculture, especially Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technology, as a means to combat climate change and boost farming productivity, aligning with his agenda of sustainability and environmental science. The Minister acknowledged the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research for their innovative contributions in promoting eco-friendly farming methods and tech-savvy techniques.
