**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare will host a three-day National Agriculture Fair in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, from April 11 to 13, 2026. This "Krishi Mahakumbh" serves as a comprehensive platform to provide farmers with information on crop insurance, credit, organic certification, and modern technologies. The event aims to streamline access to government schemes and promote "living university" style learning to ensure a secure and prosperous farming future.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Crop Insurance and Risk Management**
* **On-the-spot Policies:** Insurance companies will provide live crop insurance policies under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) directly at the venue.
* **Educational Workshops:** Through "Kisan Pathshala," the AIDE app, and the "Krishi Rakshak" portal, experts will guide farmers on premium sharing, claim procedures, and loss reporting.
* **Support Materials:** Farmers will have access to comic booklets, experience videos, and Q&A pamphlets to simplify complex insurance processes.
**Agricultural Credit and Infrastructure**
* **Financial Access:** Sessions will cover Kisan Credit Cards (KCC), term loans, and loans for Joint Liability Groups (JLG) and self-help groups.
* **Infrastructure Development:** Detailed guidance will be provided on the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) for setting up warehouses, cold storage, and processing units.
* **Immediate Approvals:** Banks and financial institutions will host stalls to facilitate documentation and provide on-the-spot approvals for applications.
**Seeds, Fertilisers, and Farmers' Rights**
* **Seed Variety:** Government and private companies will display high-yielding hybrid seeds and mini-kits to help farmers select suitable varieties for their cropping systems.
* **Legal Empowerment:** The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPVFRA) will educate farmers on indigenous variety conservation and registration rights.
* **Soil Health:** Demonstrations will focus on bio-fertilisers, micronutrients, and soil testing to achieve "lower cost, higher production, and healthier soil."
**Sustainable Farming and Market Linkages**
* **Natural Farming:** Promotion of chemical-free farming, organic manure, and cow dung-based inputs under the theme "Pure soil, Healthy crop."
* **Direct Marketing:** Focus on FPO-based marketing and linkages with institutions like NAFED and NCCF to eliminate intermediaries and secure better prices.
* **Diversification:** Introduction of resilient farming models, including millets, horticulture, and value-added product chains.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers**
**Impact**
Farmers gain a "one-stop" access point for modern equipment (drones), seeds, and financial services, reducing the time spent navigating individual government departments.
**Action Required**
Participate in the fair from April 11 to 13 to explore new technologies, attend workshops, and secure on-the-spot insurance and credit approvals.
**Sarpanches**
**Impact**
Local leaders are identified as the primary drivers for mobilizing the rural community and ensuring the fair becomes a "people-driven festival."
**Action Required**
Coordinate the participation of maximum numbers of farmers, women self-help groups, and FPO members from their respective villages.
**Banks and Insurance Companies**
**Impact**
These institutions are integrated directly into the event to facilitate immediate service delivery rather than traditional delayed processing.
**Action Required**
Establish stalls at the venue to address queries, process documentation, and issue immediate policy or loan approvals.
**Seed and Fertiliser Companies**
**Impact**
Both public and private entities have a platform to demonstrate practical models and new research directly to their end-users.
**Action Required**
Display improved seed varieties and conduct real-world demonstrations of balanced nutrient management and bio-fertilisers.
Key Entities Referenced
National Agriculture Fair (Unnat Krishi Mahotsav 2026): A national-level agriculture festival and 'Krishi Mahakumbh' designed to provide farmers integrated access to agricultural schemes, modern equipment, and market solutions.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): The central crop insurance scheme highlighted for on-the-spot policy issuance and farmer education through the 'Krishi Rakshak' portal and 'Kisan Pathshala' workshops.
Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF): A central scheme providing financial support and interest subvention for setting up post-harvest infrastructure like warehouses, cold storage, and processing units.
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA): The statutory body responsible for educating farmers on seed ownership rights and the registration and conservation of indigenous plant varieties.
Raisen, Madhya Pradesh: The central location and host region for the three-day agriculture fair, primarily targeting farmers from Raisen, Vidisha, and Sehore.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Three-day National Agriculture Fair to bring all
schemes under one roof for farmers
Focus on improved seeds, balanced fertilisers, organic
certification and farmers’ rights at Raisen agriculture fair:
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Thousands of farmers from villages to participate in the
agriculture festival; Union minister interacts with sarpanches
Posted On: 08 APR 2026 9:13PM by PIB Delhi
At the National Agriculture Fair to be held in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, from April 11 to 13, farmers will
get access to comprehensive information on crop insurance, credit, agricultural infrastructure fund,
improved seeds and fertilisers, organic certification, Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) marketing, and
the future ‘agriculture roadmap’ — all on a single platform. Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’
Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday held a virtual interaction
with sarpanches of the region and appealed to them to ensure maximum participation of farmers from
every village, making the fair a success through collective involvement.
Three days like a ‘living university’ for farmers
Shri Chouhan said that the national-level agriculture fair in Raisen from April 11 to 13 would be a game-
changing ‘Krishi Mahakumbh’, where solutions ranging from seed to market and from insurance to credit
will be available at one place. During the virtual interaction, he told sarpanches that these three days
would function like a “living university” for farmers, where they would be able to explore modern
equipment, drones, improved seeds, fertilisers, organic farming practices and FPO-based marketing
models. At the same time, they would gain clarity on insurance, credit, infrastructure and the agricultural
roadmap, helping them move towards a more secure and prosperous farming future.Shri Chouhan also shared the detailed blueprint of the fair with sarpanches from Raisen, Vidisha, Sehore
and nearby gram panchayats. He urged them to ensure that maximum numbers of farmers, women self-
help groups and FPO members from
every village participate and reach the fair venue. Thousands of farmers are expected to benefit from the
event. The Union agriculture minister said that if sarpanches take this up as a mission for their villages, the
fair can become a people-driven festival of farmers that will shape the direction of agriculture in the
coming years.
Crop insurance, companies and the ‘Krishi Rakshak’ platform
Shri Chouhan said that under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) section, insurance
companies will provide crop insurance policies on the spot to interested farmers, enabling them to return
with live insurance cover. Through
‘Kisan Pathshala’ (farmers’ workshops), the AIDE app (App for Intermediary Enrolment), IEC
(information, education, and communication) material, comic booklets, question-answer booklets,
pamphlets, experience videos and information about the ‘Krishi Rakshak portal and helpline’, all queries
related to crop insurance will be addressed at the venue itself.
Experts at the fair will guide farmers in simple language on aspects such as premium sharing, claim
procedures, reporting of crop losses, survey processes and timely settlement of claims. The aim is to
ensure that farmers understand insurance in practical terms and can use it effectively as a risk management
tool.
Agricultural credit, KCC and infrastructure fund
Under sessions on agricultural credit and finance, farmers will be informed about Kisan Credit Cards
(KCC), term loans, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), self-help group loans, and opportunities under the
Agricultural Infrastructure Fund
(AIF). Detailed guidance will be provided on setting up warehouses, cold storage units, primary
processing facilities, value-addition units and logistics projects, along with information on interest
subvention and credit guarantees.Farmers will be told that the goal of ‘Secure produce, Prosperous farmer’ can only be achieved when good
production is supported by proper storage, processing and strong market linkages. Banks and financial
institutions are expected to set up
stalls where farmers can complete applications, documentation and even receive on-the-spot approvals,
enabling them to move directly towards investment without procedural delays.
Improved seeds, fertilisers and farmers’ rights
Shri Chouhan said that under the seed division, government and private seed companies will display
improved seeds, high-yielding varieties, hybrid seeds, research seeds and mini kits. This will help farmers
select the right varieties based on their cropping systems.
The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA) will provide information about
farmers’ rights related to seeds and plant varieties, including conservation of indigenous varieties and the
process of registration. The objective is to empower farmers with knowledge about ownership, protection
and use of plant varieties.
Fertiliser companies will highlight the importance of soil health improvement through bio-fertilisers, bio-
stimulants, micronutrients and balanced nutrient management. Farmers will be shown practical models on
how to use fertilisers
based on soil testing reports, reduce costs and improve productivity. The message of “lower cost, higher
production and healthier soil” will be emphasised through real-world demonstrations.
Organic and natural farming, FPOs and market linkages
In the organic and natural farming section, the theme ‘Pure soil, Healthy crop – A golden future through
natural farming’ will be promoted. Farmers will receive information on minimal use of chemicals, organic
manure, composting, cow
dung-based inputs, certification processes and market opportunities for organic products. The fair will also
focus on FPO-based direct marketing, cooperative systems and linkages with institutions such as National
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), National Cooperative Consumers’
Federation of India (NCCF) and NSC, as well as other national and international platforms. These
initiatives aim to help farmers connect directly to markets without intermediaries and secure better prices
for their produce. Farmers will also be introduced to suitable crop diversification models for their regions,
including millets, horticulture, fruit and vegetable processing, and value-added product chains. Practical
examples will be provided to help farmers adopt diversified and resilient farming systems.
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