Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Dr Mohan Yadav on Friday, chaired a meeting, in which he reiterated that increasing farmers’ income remains the state government’s top priority, stating that the welfare of the “annadata” is a fundamental duty of the administration.

Chairing a review meeting at the Mantralaya (State Secretariat) on the activities conducted under the Farmer Welfare Year, the Chief Minister emphasised that all initiatives aimed at reducing the cost of cultivation and enhancing farm income must be treated as a matter of priority. He said the year 2026 has been designated as the Farmer Welfare Year with a focused mission to strengthen the agricultural economy of the state.

Directives issued to officials

CM Dr Yadav directed officials to implement all related schemes and programmes in mission mode, ensuring that farmers receive direct benefits without delays or procedural hurdles. He also stressed the importance of organising regular interaction programmes with farmers, from the state capital to grassroots levels, so that policy and feedback remain closely aligned.

Focus laid on dairy, modern farming practices

The Chief Minister highlighted that dairy production plays a significant role in boosting rural incomes. He instructed officials to expand access to high-yield cattle breeds and involve private institutions in supporting livestock development initiatives. He also called for the expansion of rural-level centres to strengthen dairy-based livelihoods.

The state’s top political leader further emphasised the need to promote low-water and short-duration crops, encouraging farmers to adopt crop diversification practices. He said shifting the crop cycle and promoting natural and organic farming is essential for sustainable agriculture in the long term.

The Chief Minister also suggested integrating agricultural outreach programmes with local festivals and seasonal crop cycles to improve farmer participation and awareness. He directed that cooperative institutions should be fully digitised to ensure transparency, simplicity and ease of access for farmers.

Officials informed the meeting that the online Kisan Credit Card portal and e-passbook facility for farmers will be launched in July. A state-level cooperative conference is also planned, along with a state-level felicitation programme in Ujjain to honour outstanding field workers and livestock farmers.

Statewide agricultural festivals and thematic events on the cards

A series of agricultural fairs and thematic events are planned across Madhya Pradesh to promote innovation and sectoral growth. These include Balram Agricultural Festivals in all districts and food festivals at divisional headquarters.

In Indore, a vegetable festival and an aquaculture marketing symposium are scheduled, while Khargone will host a state-level farmers’ conference along with cotton and chilli festivals. Jabalpur will host programmes on inland fisheries, aquaculture, and a separate conference for poultry farmers and agri-entrepreneurs.

Burhanpur will organise a banana festival, while Ujjain will host a workshop on high-tech nurseries and protected cultivation. Sagar and Ratlam will hold state-level conferences for Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Neemuch will focus on modern horticulture techniques, and Bhopal will host a workshop on stubble management. Narsinghpur is set to host a major state-level farmers’ conference under the sugarcane festival initiative.