Campaign to curb excessive fertilizer use begins today

Patna: Agriculture minister Vijay Kumar Sinha would launch the month-long ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ (save land campaign) on Monday to promote balanced fertilizer use and sustainable farming practices among farmers across the state.The statewide campaign, beginning on June 1 and concluding on June 30, will be launched at Krishi Bhavan in Patna. It is part of a national programme aimed at encouraging the use of chemical fertilizers in the right proportion according to soil health conditions and facilitating soil health cards for farmers.The campaign will focus on a three-point mantra — reducing excessive use of chemical fertilizers, applying the right fertilizer and adopting the right farm practices based on expert advice.“The campaign is part of the vision and resolution of PM Narendra Modi and the long-term thinking of Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan,” Sinha said, adding that the state agriculture department has made all necessary preparations to take the initiative to every panchayat and village.“It is not just an administrative programme, but a social and economic movement. The aim is to prevent the unbalanced use of chemical fertilizer and reduce the cost input on cultivation,” Sinha said. He appealed to MPs, MLAs, mukhiyas and other local public representatives to support and participate in the movement.The minister said special teams have been constituted for all districts. These teams comprise personnel from Krishi Vigyan Kendras, scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and senior officials of the state agriculture department.The teams will camp in districts and blocks that record high or above-average use of chemical fertilizers and educate farmers about the harmful effects of excessive fertilizer application on soil health. They will also guide farmers on balanced nutrient management and scientific farming practices.