Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday reiterated the government’s commitment to transforming agriculture into a sustainable and profitable sector through a comprehensive five-point action plan. Addressing farmers at the “Raitanna… Mee Kosam” programme in Nallajerla of Gopalapuram constituency, he said the initiative aims to educate farmers, promote scientific cultivation and ensure long-term welfare of farming families.

Before the meeting, the Chief Minister inspected inter-cropping patterns adopted by local farmers and interacted with them about new cultivation techniques. He emphasised that agriculture remains the backbone of the state, with 62% of the population dependent on farming and allied sectors.

Chandrababu urged farmers to explore allied sectors such as dairy, poultry, fisheries and horticulture to boost incomes. “Telangana earns only 14% of its revenue from agriculture, while our agriculture and allied sectors contribute 34% to the GSDP. We must diversify and optimise our strengths,” he said.

The Chief Minister highlighted the urgent need to conserve groundwater by treating land as a natural reservoir. He reiterated that linking the Krishna and Godavari rivers will be a top priority. “This year alone, 7,000 TMC of Godavari water and 1,500 TMC of Krishna water flowed into the sea. Even if we utilise 200 TMC, drought will become a thing of the past,” he noted.

He said groundwater levels across the state currently average 6.8 metres, with East Godavari reaching 18 metres due to soil conditions, while some districts like Prakasam and Eluru faced declines. He promised that better canal management and reservoir optimisation would ensure irrigation water for every acre.

Chandrababu urged farmers to prioritise crops with high market demand and adopt innovative cultivation methods. He cited global disruptions from the Ukraine war to changing U.S. trade policies that have impacted crop prices. He also noted that past shifts in central ethanol policies had affected maize farmers.

“Farmers practising inter-cropping are seeing better incomes. Excessive use of fertilisers increases costs. We must adopt precision farming techniques,” he said, referring to Chittoor farmers using fruit-covering methods to protect mango crops and earn higher profits.

The Chief Minister criticised the previous administration, alleging it had emptied the treasury and pushed the state into financial crisis. He contrasted this with the coalition government’s welfare measures. 

He reaffirmed that electricity charges would not be increased and promised repairs to all pothole-ridden roads by Sankranti. He also noted the launch of the Digital Nerve Centre “Sanjeevani” with support from Tata.

Chandrababu said structural reforms may invite criticism, just as his early IT policies once did, but results would speak for themselves. He highlighted the Rs. 13.25 lakh crore investments secured at the Visakhapatnam Partnership Summit and the establishment of the Google Data Centre in Vizag.

“We are committed to creating 20 lakh jobs. With central support, we will lead Andhra Pradesh on a path of accelerated growth. By 2047, the Swarna Andhra dream will be a reality,” he declared.