Jaipur, April 8 -- Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday hailed agriculture as the backbone of India's economy and farmers as its soul, pledging rapid central action to boost farmers' incomes, livelihoods and self-reliance in the sector. Addressing the inaugural session of the Western Regional Agriculture Conference in Jaipur, Chouhan praised Rajasthan's initiatives, stating that under chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, the state has prepared a comprehensive agriculture roadmap. He urged other states to adopt similar innovative approaches. "The Centre has initiated regional agriculture conferences to address the country's geographical diversity, with Rajasthan hosting the first such event," said Chouhan. The conference was attended by representatives from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Rajasthan who discussed challenges, opportunities and future strategies in agriculture, while promoting coordination and exchange of best practices among states. Chouhan outlined three key priorities for the agriculture sector. "First, to ensure food security so that our food reserves remain full. Second, to increase farmers' income and improve their standard of living. Third, to provide nutritious food to citizens and contribute to global food supply when required," he said. He emphasised the need for higher productivity, crop diversification and adoption of integrated farming systems to promote nutritious food production. The Union minister urged states to ensure 100% farmer registration under the Farmer ID system in mission mode, so that benefits of government schemes can reach farmers quickly. He also highlighted the importance of timely assessment of crop damage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to ensure prompt compensation. Chouhan said the Centre has decided to provide flexibility to states in fund allocation under agricultural schemes, based on their geographical conditions, to ensure better implementation. He also called on states to effectively utilise agricultural budgets and ensure timely procurement of crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP) to support farmers. Highlighting Rajasthan's potential, the minister said the Centre will send a team of agricultural scientists to support and strengthen the state's roadmap. He also welcomed the upcoming 'Global Rajasthan AgriTech Meet (GRAM)', assuring that experts, scientists and officials from the Centre will participate. Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said the upcoming Global Rajasthan AgriTech Meet-2026 will help position the state as a leader in agricultural exports by bringing together experts and innovators from India and abroad. He said the government has increased financial assistance under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi by adding Rs.3,000, taking the total to Rs.9,000 annually for farmers in the state. Sharma also highlighted that Rajasthan ranks first in the country in the production of crops like bajra, mustard and isabgol, and efforts are underway to enhance value through processing units and increased dairy production. The chief minister said the state has increased its agriculture budget by 34%, allocating Rs.1.19 lakh crore for 2026-27 under the "Viksit Rajasthan 2047" vision. He also outlined major irrigation and water projects, including Ram Jal Setu Link, Yamuna agreement, Indira Gandhi Canal Project (IGNP) and others. Sharma urged farmers to adopt scientific practices, modern irrigation methods such as sprinkler systems, and diversify crops. He also cautioned against excessive use of chemical fertilisers and stressed the importance of soil health cards. Linking agriculture with animal husbandry, he said, can reduce costs and increase income through natural manure....