SHILLONG, JUN 17: Director of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Dr G Kadirvel on Thursday called on 92 village headmen from East Khasi Hills to spearhead the transition to balanced fertilizer use and eco-friendly farming in their communities.
Speaking at the awareness meeting organized by ICAR Umiam and KVK Ri Bhoi under the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, Dr Kadirvel framed the campaign as a direct response to pressing challenges in agriculture.
“The Khet Bachao Abhiyan aims to create awareness on the balanced use of fertilizers, improve soil health, and promote sustainable agriculture,” he told the gathering.
Warning against the fallout of chemical overuse, the Director pointed to both economic and market consequences.
“Excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has resulted in the rejection of several agricultural export consignments due to high chemical residues,” he said.
Linking it to national dependence, he added, “India imports nearly all of its chemical fertilizers from countries such as Russia, South Africa and Morocco, placing a significant burden on the nation’s economy. In view of this, the Government of India has initiated several measures to encourage the judicious use of fertilizers and promote eco-friendly farming practices.”
Dr. Kadirvel placed village headmen at the centre of the solution.
Dr G Kadirvel emphasized the crucial role of village headmen in disseminating the knowledge gained during the programme to farmers in their respective villages.
He introduced the headmen to bio-agents and their production methods, and highlighted green manuring as a practice that “can maintain crop productivity while improving soil health.”
Closing his speech, the Director urged them to act as change agents at the village level. He urged the headmen to actively encourage farmers to adopt balanced fertilizer application, natural farming and urban farming practices for long-term agricultural sustainability.
The meeting, held as part of the month-long Khet Bachao Abhiyan from June 1-30, 2026, brought together headmen from East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi districts to reinforce ICAR’s push for climate-resilient and resource-efficient farming across Meghalaya.
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