ICAR-CIRCOT Conducts Extensive Farmer Outreach under 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' in Kolhapur Region

As part of the nationwide "Khet Bachao Abhiyan" launched by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the ICAR–Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai, organized a massive farmer outreach and awareness campaign across Kolhapur district from June 22 to 26, 2026.

The five-day campaign spanned over 80 villages across Panhala, Hatkanangale, Karveer, Kagal, Shahuwadi, Shirol, and Walwa-Islampur blocks, drawing participation from more than 1,200 farmers. Local meetings were held at accessible locations, including Gram Panchayat offices, cooperative societies, local farms, and event pandals. The core focus was to educate farmers on soil health management, the balanced use of chemical fertilizers, the adoption of biofertilizers, and sustainable, natural farming practices to boost productivity and profitability.

A mega event was organized on June 25 at Yavluj village in Panhala block, in collaboration with Dalmia Sugar Pvt. Ltd. The event drew over 700 farmers from 20 surrounding villages. During the event, Mr. Shridhar Gosavi (General Manager) outlined the campaign’s vision, while Mr. Santosh Kumbhar (Unit Head) stressed the need for synergy between farmers, industry, and research bodies.

ICAR-CIRCOT scientists provided hands-on, practical guidance to the attendees including a live demonstration on preparing Jeevamrit for natural farming and scientific techniques for collecting soil samples. The campaign also served as an interactive forum where farmers discussed the challenges of transitioning to natural farming, receiving direct technical solutions from the experts. 

The ICAR-CIRCOT outreach team included Dr. Manoj Kumar Mahawar, Dr. Manoj Kumar Puniya, Dr. Sheshrao Kautkar, Dr. Himanshushekhar Chaurasia, Shri Uday Kore, and Shri Amol Nimbalkar. The programme was actively supported by several agro-startups, including Sanrajya Agro India, Digital Kheti, Prafulla Winery, Shreel Surya Research, Suvarnabhumee Agricultural Machinery, Arde Patil Pharma, Integlia Technology Solutions, and Chipku Agri Innovations.