03-10-2026:Address by the Hon’ble Governor of Uttarakhand on the Occasion of the Inauguration of the 120th All India Farmers’ Fair and Agro-Industrial Exhibition

Jai Hind!

It gives me immense pleasure to be present here today at Pantnagar, this karmabhoomi of agriculture, on the occasion of the 120th All India Farmers’ Fair and Agro-Industrial Exhibition. This is an important platform that brings farmers, science, youth, entrepreneurship and new technology together.

The same soil from which our food grows also gives rise to the strength of India’s self-reliance. Therefore, a farmer is not merely the cultivator of a field; he is a builder of the nation’s future. The glorious journey that has brought us to the 120th edition of this Farmers’ Fair is a living testimony to our enduring faith in agriculture and our continuous dialogue with the farming community.

The very mention of Pantnagar evokes a strong tradition of agricultural education, research, innovation and service to farmers. This university is an important centre of knowledge closely connected with the field and the farmer. Today, the need is to further expand this knowledge and take it to every agricultural region and every farmer of Uttarakhand.

In our ancient Indian civilisation, food has never been regarded merely as sustenance; it has been recognised as the foundation of life. In the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says:

«“अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः।
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः॥”»

That is, all living beings are sustained by food; food is produced from rain, and rain is connected with the balance of nature and righteous action. This verse reminds us that a farmer does not merely produce crops; he sustains the entire chain of life. Therefore, respect for the farmer is intrinsically linked with respect for life, nature and the nation.

Today’s farmer is cultivating the land amid rapidly changing circumstances. Climate change, erratic rainfall, water scarcity, rising input costs, shortage of labour and market uncertainties are among the challenges confronting the farming community.

Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, the Government of India has undertaken several initiatives to strengthen farmers’ incomes, agricultural security and the use of modern technology. Through initiatives such as the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi, Kisan Credit Card and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, efforts are being made to provide farmers with financial assistance, institutional credit and protection against crop-related risks.

Through the Digital Agriculture Mission, initiatives such as Farmer Registries, weather- and satellite-based information, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data are being integrated with agriculture. Through the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and efforts relating to high-yielding and climate-resilient seeds, emphasis is being placed on improving productivity, crop diversification and strengthening the overall capacity of agriculture.

This represents the changing face of agriculture, where traditional experience is being complemented by science, data and technology to create new strength for the farmer.

The role of new technology in agriculture is rapidly increasing. Artificial Intelligence, or AI, can be useful in weather forecasting, early detection of crop diseases, analysis of soil conditions, determining irrigation requirements and estimating agricultural production. Drones are increasingly assisting in crop monitoring and spraying, while sensors and digital tools provide real-time information about water, soil and crop conditions.

The purpose of technology should not merely be to increase production. It should also be to reduce the cost of cultivation, optimise the use of resources and enable farmers to make more accurate and informed decisions.

However, technology becomes truly meaningful only when it reaches the farmer. Today, AI and digital agriculture are not limited to large farmers. Small and marginal farmers are also benefiting from these technologies, which can help reduce their costs, simplify decision-making and create new opportunities to increase their incomes.

Agriculture in Uttarakhand has its own unique identity. We have the plains, Bhabar, Terai, as well as the lower, middle and higher Himalayan regions. This diversity is both a challenge and an opportunity. Instead of applying a single agricultural model everywhere, we must develop agricultural models suited to local conditions.

In the mountainous regions, where land is limited, our objective should be clear—to generate greater value from limited land. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, aromatic and medicinal plants, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping and other high-value agricultural activities can open new avenues of income for farmers.

Production alone is not enough. We must strengthen the entire value chain—from seed to production, production to processing, processing to packaging, and packaging to the market. The greater the value with which a farmer’s product reaches the market, the greater will be the return on the farmer’s hard work.

I am pleased to see that our farmers are increasingly becoming not merely producers, but agricultural entrepreneurs. Our farms are no longer only centres of cultivation; they are also becoming centres of value addition, employment and entrepreneurship.

Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperative institutions, Self-Help Groups, local processing units and agriculture-based small enterprises are giving new strength to the rural economy. Our local products are today travelling beyond Uttarakhand and earning recognition even in international markets.

I find this Farmers’ Fair particularly significant because it brings together our agricultural heritage and new agricultural technologies. Our traditional crops, indigenous seeds and generations of accumulated agricultural knowledge are an invaluable heritage.

We must connect the useful knowledge of tradition with modern science. Tradition is our foundation, and science is our momentum; the harmonious integration of the two can make our agriculture more sustainable, resilient and productive.

Water conservation must also remain at the heart of agriculture. Rainwater harvesting, water-efficient crops, micro-irrigation, conservation of soil moisture and judicious use of natural resources are the need of the hour.

Agriculture that moves not in conflict with nature but in harmony with it is the only agriculture that can ensure long-term prosperity for both farmers and society.

I especially salute the women farmers of Uttarakhand. In the mountains, they have managed both their families and farms under extremely challenging circumstances. Today, their role is expanding beyond agricultural labour to include agricultural entrepreneurship, leadership of producer groups and value addition of local products.

There are immense opportunities for our youth in agriculture. From agri-tech and drone services to agricultural processing, digital markets and agri-based start-ups, numerous new avenues are opening up for young people.

When the experience of the farmer comes together with the technological capabilities of our youth, agriculture can become a new foundation for innovation and employment.

There is also a positive transformation emerging in the way agriculture is being linked with the challenge of migration. Through various government schemes and initiatives, several young people are returning to their villages and taking up enterprises related to agriculture and horticulture.

They are receiving training, technical support, access to markets and new employment opportunities at the local level. This is helping create an environment in the hills where young people can remain in their villages while building a strong foundation for their livelihoods and future.

The role of Pantnagar University therefore becomes even more important. I expect the university’s research to become even more closely connected with the real challenges faced in the fields; that the Krishi Vigyan Kendras become centres for locally relevant solutions; and that scientific knowledge reaches every district of Uttarakhand.

The ultimate objective of research should not merely be the publication of research papers, but visible transformation in the farmer’s field.

Universities, governments, scientists, farmers, youth and agricultural entrepreneurs must work together. Only then can knowledge truly become a force for empowering society.

Dear farmer brothers and sisters,

Today, on this occasion, we must take a clear resolve—to make agriculture more profitable, more sustainable, more technology-enabled and more dignified.

Let science reach the fields. Let technology reach the hands of farmers. Let the benefits of AI reach our villages. Let every drop of water be used wisely. Let our local products receive recognition and access to markets. And let our youth see a promising future in agriculture.

I firmly believe that the path to Uttarakhand’s development runs through its fields.

A prosperous farmer creates a prosperous village.
Prosperous villages create a strong Uttarakhand.
And a strong Uttarakhand becomes a force for a developed India.

Let us resolve to build an Uttarakhand where there is innovation in the fields, technology in the hands of farmers, markets for local products, employment in our villages, and a future for our youth in their own villages.

The prosperity of the farmer is not merely the success of agriculture. It is the foundation of prosperous villages, a stronger Uttarakhand and a self-reliant India.

Prosperous Farmers – Empowered Villages – Developed Uttarakhand – Developed India.

With this resolve and confidence, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Pantnagar University family for organising the 120th All India Farmers’ Fair.

I extend my greetings to all farmer brothers and sisters who have come from different parts of the country and the state. I also convey my best wishes to the scientists, teachers, students, agricultural entrepreneurs and everyone associated with the agricultural sector.

Vande Mataram!
Bharat Mata Ki Jai!
Jai Hind!