Arunachal Pradesh :Marking a remarkable step in India’s agricultural transformation at the nation’s borders, the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, a flagship pre-Kharif outreach campaign of the Government of India, was ceremonially launched at Kibithoo (Anjaw district) and Zemithang (Tawang district)—two of the easternmost and westernmost inhabited villages of Arunachal Pradesh. This symbolic launch underscores the government’s commitment to agricultural empowerment even in the most remote and sensitive border regions of the country.

At Kibithoo, the programme was inaugurated in the presence of Colonel Ravi Shukla, Commanding Officer of the 6 Kumaon Regiment, who flagged off the Krishi Rath—a mobile awareness and advisory unit dedicated to educating farmers on sustainable practices and new agricultural technologies. The event witnessed participation from officials of district line departments, scientists from ICAR-ATARI, staff of KVK Anjaw, and villagers from Kibithoo, Kaho, and Mesai, including 82 farmers, farm women, and youth.

Simultaneously, in Zemithang, the programme began with the flagging off of the Krishi Rath by Kanki Darang, Deputy Commissioner, Tawang, from Khartoth village. A separate inauguration event was also conducted at Zemithang village, where SumitaJonkey, APCS, Circle Officer (LM) presided over the function. A total of 272 participants, including farmers and officials from KVK Tawang, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, and Fisheries departments, scientists from ICAR-NRC on Yak, Dirang, FPC members, Kisan Morcha office bearers, and public representatives, actively took part in the programme.

Soil Health Cards were also distributed to promote balanced nutrient management and soil sustainability.Kibithoo and Zemithang are vibrant villages that share their international borders with China, making them not only agriculturally important but also strategically vital in India’s border development vision.

This campaign, announced by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, envisions a future-ready agricultural ecosystem by promoting location-specific innovations, encouraging sustainable practices, and integrating real-time farmer feedback to fine-tune research and policy frameworks. The initiative directly contributes to making agriculture in remote and tribal-dominated areas more resilient, inclusive, and productive.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the campaign is being spearheaded by ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Zone VI. The institute is tasked with coordinating outreach efforts across 1,383 villages, with the aim of reaching out to nearly 2 lakh farmers, especially those living in tribal belts and climate-sensitive zones.

The campaign is being implemented with support from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

A total of 34 expert teams, comprising scientists and technical personnel from Krishi Vigyan Kendras and allied government departments, are mobilized to travel to remote and interior villages.

These teams are responsible for disseminating climate-resilient farming technologies for Kharif crops, promoting the use of Soil Health Cards, creating awareness about flagship schemes like PM-KISAN and PMFBY, and most importantly, collecting feedback directly from farmers to ensure that future interventions are tailored to local realities and needs.

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