BELAGAVI: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday launched an ambitious Soil Health and Integrated Water Management Project for sugarcane-growing regions, stressing that land is the cradle of life and must not be rendered barren in the pursuit of higher yields.
Inaugurating the project at a private land near Belagavi Sugars at Hudali village in Belagavi taluk on Saturday, the CM said that the State Government, being farmer-centric, is giving special thrust to sustainable agriculture in sugarcane belts across Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, and Mandya districts.
“Land is the source of life. We must ensure that this cradle of life does not turn infertile. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers must be reduced. The misconception that higher fertiliser use automatically results in higher yield has to end,” Siddaramaiah said.
Noting that India is an agrarian nation with nearly 90% of the population directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, he said it was the government’s responsibility to provide all necessary support to farmers. Emphasising prudent water use, he said farmers must be educated on scientific water management practices and encouraged to adopt new crop varieties introduced by the Agriculture Department.
The CM said the programme was implemented as announced in the previous state budget. He urged farmers to adopt modern technology to improve productivity and income, adding that the government is distributing advanced farm machinery at subsidised rates to support this transition.
Referring to Mandya district as a model for intensive agriculture, Siddaramaiah said farmers there were making effective use of government schemes. He called upon agriculture officials to visit fields regularly and create awareness among farmers about soil fertility conservation and modern farming techniques. “The government is committed to making agriculture profitable and farmers economically self-reliant,” he asserted.
Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said the project aims to benefit sugarcane growers by promoting modern technologies that ensure higher income with lower input costs and water use. Introduction of high-yielding, low-water-consuming varieties and subsidised distribution of sugarcane harvesters, he said, would help address labour shortages and improve farm profitability. “The distribution of sugarcane harvesting machines on subsidy is a model initiative for the entire country,” he said.
Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi said that the State Government has brought transformational changes in agriculture by rolling out multiple schemes to help farmers double their income through scientific practices. He urged farmers to emulate global best practices to maximise output from limited land holdings.
Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil said more than 5 crore farmers across the country cultivate sugarcane and over 400 sugar factories operate nationwide. Ensuring fair prices for sugarcane growers remains a priority, he said, adding that export of sugar from major producing states—Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka—could significantly boost farmers’ income.