Dehradun, June 7 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday announced a Rs.6 crore farm fencing project for Almora district and called for a transformation of the state's "Khet Bachao Abhiyan" into a mass movement to protect agricultural land, soil health and traditional farming practices. Addressing a state-level campaign event at Hawalbagh in Almora, Dhami said climate change posed growing challenges to agriculture and stressed the need for conservation of soil fertility, natural resources and traditional crops such as mandua, jhangora and chaulai. "The Khet Bachao Abhiyan is no longer just a government programme but a people's movement driven by public participation. Farmers should take a pledge to protect their agricultural land, soil and natural resources," he said. The chief minister described farmers as the strength of the nation and said soil should be treated with the same reverence as a mother. He urged farmers to minimise the use of chemical inputs, regularly test soil quality and adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices based on scientific advice. He added that the state government had earmarked Rs.200 crore in the budget for measures aimed at increasing farmers' income, and horticulture, polyhouses, fruit cultivation, cold storage facilities, mega food parks and aromatic crop production were being promoted through various schemes. "Nearly 23,000 hectares in the state are currently being encouraged for aromatic crop cultivation, while traditional millets are also being promoted," he said, adding that benefits under government schemes were being transferred directly to farmers through the DBT mechanism. The chief minister said environmental conservation and economic development must go hand in hand and emphasised the need to maintain a balance between ecology and economy. During the programme, Dhami announced that farm fencing projects worth nearly Rs.6 crore would be undertaken in Almora district under the 'Tarbandi Yojana' to protect agricultural land from damage. Agriculture minister Ganesh Joshi urged farmers to adopt natural and organic farming practices and said the government was promoting crops such as dragon fruit, kiwi and millets to enhance farm incomes. Farmers who have made notable contributions in the agriculture sector were also felicitated at the event. In the 2026-27 budget, the state government allocated Rs.42 crore for Mission Apple, Rs.39.90 crore for the Trout Promotion Scheme, Rs.30.70 crore for promoting high-value crops such as kiwi and dragon fruit, Rs.24.75 crore for the Aromatic Plant Centre and cluster development, and Rs.20 crore for fencing agricultural fields to protect crops from wildlife....