Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan: How India’s 16,000-scientist campaign aims to transform agriculture by 2047

India has launched an ambitious nationwide rural campaign aimed at revolutionizing its agricultural sector through direct scientific outreach. Titled the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, the initiative involves the deployment of over 16,000 agricultural scientists to nearly 65,000 villages across all states, with the primary objective of ensuring sustainable farm productivity, knowledge diffusion, and better integration of research into field practices. The program, unveiled on May 29, 2025, by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is positioned as a strategic milestone in the government’s broader Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

Unlike previous top-down models, the campaign calls on scientists, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) personnel, and agri-institutions to step directly into the villages—sharing actionable insights, collecting ground-level feedback, and linking farmers with existing state and central government schemes. This format, according to early indications from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, is expected to become a recurring tool in India’s agricultural policy playbook going forward.

Why was the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan launched?

The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan comes at a time when Indian agriculture is facing simultaneous challenges and opportunities. On one side are structural hurdles such as land fragmentation, input cost inflation, unpredictable rainfall, and limited mechanization in certain zones. On the other are emerging enablers: a growing agri-tech startup ecosystem, digital platforms for soil and crop diagnostics, and increased budgetary allocation for farmer welfare.

The launch of VKSA signals a shift toward integrated outreach—combining scientific inputs with administrative and welfare delivery under one framework. This comes just months after the 2025–26 Union Budget, which had earmarked ₹1.27 lakh crore for agriculture and allied sectors, including subsidies, market reform incentives, and R&D grants.

From a political perspective, the campaign also builds continuity with flagship missions such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), eNAM, the Natural Farming Mission, and the Lakhpati Didi program—blending income security with empowerment and technology adoption.

What is the scale and structure of the outreach campaign?

The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan is structured as a 15-day field operation spanning over 700 districts. Official data suggests that more than 16,000 scientists, including personnel from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agricultural Universities, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras, have been mobilized.

Each team is responsible for visiting multiple panchayats daily, conducting interactive sessions on key themes such as seed quality, fertiliser efficiency, climate-resilient cropping, and resource-conserving irrigation. The program also incorporates real-time data collection, village-level feedback, and on-site problem diagnosis. Many states have paired these outreach events with mini-kits distribution, soil health card re-issuance, and enrolment for crop insurance and PM-KISAN.

In Uttar Pradesh alone, the state’s agriculture department reported over 8.3 lakh farmers attending VKSA events in just the first week. Over ₹400 crore worth of free mini seed kits are being distributed to promote timely Kharif sowing. Similar activity has been reported from Odisha, where the campaign was launched by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and from Punjab, where ICAR-led teams are covering seven districts including Ludhiana, Moga, and Bathinda.

How is the initiative being received by farmers and institutions?

Early sentiment from agricultural institutions has been cautiously optimistic. Researchers from ICAR and leading agricultural universities have highlighted that the outreach model offers a “long overdue” inversion of the conventional knowledge flow. Instead of waiting for farmers to visit extension centers, VKSA sends scientists to the farms.

From the farmers’ side, preliminary reports from districts like Sambalpur, Sehore, and Barabanki indicate high turnout and strong demand for localized advice, especially on crop rotation, natural farming alternatives, and region-specific pest management. Farmers are also reportedly using these interactions to raise grievances related to scheme delays, post-harvest logistics, and irrigation bottlenecks.

Policy analysts note that the campaign’s effectiveness will ultimately depend on post-campaign follow-through. Without consistent follow-up visits, scheme convergence, and local officer accountability, the value of VKSA may remain limited to awareness rather than transformation.

What makes this different from traditional agri-extension models?

Unlike earlier initiatives which focused heavily on pamphlets, mass messaging, or block-level workshops, the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan uses a decentralized, field-centric approach. The ratio of scientist-to-village interaction has been designed to ensure depth rather than breadth. Scientists are expected not just to instruct, but also to listen.

Moreover, VKSA is integrated into a multi-ministerial framework. Officials from rural development, women and child development, and cooperatives are working in tandem with agricultural officers. For example, women SHG members from the Lakhpati Didi program are being encouraged to attend VKSA events to discuss market access and primary processing solutions.

Institutionally, the campaign is backed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and several line ministries, ensuring it is not limited to a single bureaucratic silo. This interdepartmental structure reflects a broader trend in Indian policy delivery where convergence, rather than compartmentalization, is now being preferred.

Are there financial or commercial linkages built into VKSA?

Although VKSA is not a commercial program, it does intersect with India’s broader efforts to boost agri-productivity and monetization. In some states, agri-credit officers from public sector banks have been roped in to inform farmers about Kisan Credit Card upgrades, agri-insurance bundling, and warehouse receipt financing.

Private agri-tech startups have also shown interest in using VKSA data to fine-tune product targeting and partnership development. Some companies specializing in satellite imagery, weather analytics, or organic bio-inputs have volunteered to supply demonstration tools during VKSA sessions.

While no formal PPP (public–private partnership) model has yet been announced, industry observers believe that the scale and documentation model of VKSA could become a prototype for future agri-tech PPPs, particularly around data-sharing and last-mile service delivery.

What is the long-term outlook for VKSA and Indian agriculture?

VKSA is expected to conclude its first phase in mid-June 2025. A second phase, with more focused interventions and geo-clustered innovations, may be announced in the upcoming Kharif season review.

Analysts believe the long-term success of VKSA hinges on institutional memory and data-driven continuity. If its outcomes—such as yield improvements, reduced fertiliser wastage, and better farmer scheme enrolments—are formally tracked, VKSA could become a foundational pillar in India’s agri-modernization roadmap.

The campaign also dovetails with India’s climate resilience commitments under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change and COP27 pledges. Soil carbon retention, rain-fed agriculture, and indigenous seed promotion are likely to be future focal areas linked to VKSA 2.0.

From a rural economy lens, the campaign aligns with the growing recognition that farmer income security will require not just subsidies, but also systemic support spanning knowledge, tools, and market access.