Soil testing laboratories to be established in 629 schools across all 38 districts

Patna, November 2: (ABN) The state government has initiated efforts to turn the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' (Save the Fields Campaign) into a public movement with the aim of maintaining the fertility of fields, protecting soil health, and promoting natural farming. Speaking at the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan and Agricultural Public Welfare Discussion' program held in Saran district, Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said that the prosperity of farmers, the fertility of the land, and the promotion of natural farming are among the government's priorities. He said that the health of our families is directly linked to soil health. If the land in which we grow grain is healthy and rich in nutrients, only then will we get clean and nutritious food, and our families will remain healthy and safe. Therefore, the protection of fields and soil is not just the responsibility of farmers but a shared duty of the entire society. The Agriculture Minister stated that it is essential to provide farmers with accurate information about soil quality and the nutrients present in it. With this objective, instructions have been given to establish soil testing laboratories in all high schools in the state so that students can become aware of the importance of soil health and scientific farming methods from the initial stage of their education. He announced that small soil testing laboratories will be established in 629 PM Shri and government schools across all 38 districts of Bihar during the financial year 2026-27. This will enable students to understand soil quality scientifically and motivate them to play their role in its protection. He stated that such laboratories have already been established in 160 PM Shri high schools in this direction. Vijay Kumar Sinha said that in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the primary objective of the 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' is to secure land fertility, promote natural farming, and strengthen the foundation of healthy soil and prosperous agriculture for future generations. 7,275 farmer meetings in Kharif season, participation of over 6.19 lakh farmers. The Agriculture Minister stated that the success of this campaign depends on the active participation of farmers and public awareness. It is pleasing to note that 7,275 farmer meetings were held across the state during the last Kharif season, with a total of 6,19,436 farmers participating. This included 2,12,610 women farmers. This extensive participation by farmers is evidence of growing awareness regarding the protection of fields and soil health.

He stated that during the Rabia season 2026-27, the campaign is set to reach all 534 blocks of the state. Under this plan, each block will have special farmer awareness camps in at least two Panchayats. The government aims to directly reach 15 to 16 lakh farmers through this campaign, raising their awareness about soil health, field fertility, and sustainable agricultural practices. During the direct dialogue program on 19 key topics, Agriculture Minister Vije Kumar Sinha spoke directly with farmers about seeds, pesticides, soil testing, fertilizers, and agriculture in general. He listened seriously to farmers’ problems, suggestions, and expectations, and gave necessary instructions to relevant officers to ensure prompt solutions and effective implementation. On this occasion, the Agriculture Minister also inspected the exhibition set up by the Department of Agriculture. He reviewed new innovations related to various agricultural schemes, modern farming techniques, modern agricultural equipment, standard seeds, and natural cultivation. Public representatives also actively participated. The “Khet Bachao Mission” was given the form of a public movement to convey its message to the general public, and several public representatives joined the program. At this event, Member of Parliament Jarnad Singh Segiwar, Member of Legislative Assembly Choti Kamari, Jank Singh, Randhir Kumar Singh, Manoranjan Singh alias Dhumal Singh, and Member of Legislative Council Sachidanand Ray, among other public representatives, were present. All representatives expressed their determination to advance this campaign with public partnership to protect farmers’ interests, maintain field fertility, and promote sustainable agricultural development. The Agriculture Minister said that protecting fields and soil is linked to the food security and agricultural prosperity of future generations. Therefore, it is an urgent need to turn this campaign into a broad public movement through the joint efforts of farmers, students, and ordinary citizens.