Lucknow, April 25 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday jointly inaugurated the northern zones's agricultural conference in Lucknow, pitching a region-specific strategy to boost farm productivity, value addition and farmers' income across diverse agro-climatic zones. Addressing the gathering of representatives from nine states, scientists, farmer producer organisations and progressive farmers, Adityanath said the conference marked a shift towards a "practical, region-driven approach" in agricultural planning, stressing that targets must align with local climate, soil and geographical conditions. Chouhan, in his address, praised the Uttar Pradesh government for driving growth and welfare, saying the state has emerged as a national leader in multiple sectors. He said regional conferences would help states share best practices and develop tailored agricultural roadmaps. For his part, Adityanath said increased farmer awareness and outreach of government schemes were yielding results on the ground, with multi-cropping expanding to several lakh hectares. "Continuous engagement between scientists and farmers has helped raise the state's agricultural growth rate from 8% to 18%," he said, adding that further gains are possible through better technology adoption and value addition. Highlighting institutional strengthening, the chief minister said the number of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Uttar Pradesh had risen from 69 in 2017 to 89, with each centre promoting innovation and field-level demonstrations. Adityanath noted that Uttar Pradesh had made significant strides in production, with wheat output at 425 lakh metric tonnes, paddy at 211 lakh metric tonnes and potato at 245 lakh metric tonnes, alongside improvements in pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and coarse cereals. In some regions, paddy productivity has touched 100 quintals per hectare, he said. The chief minister noted that while agriculture's contribution to India's economy has declined from about 41-42% at the time of Independence to nearly 20-21% now, manufacturing still contributes only 15-16%, underlining the need for better synergy between the two sectors to accelerate growth. He said the state government is pushing value addition in agriculture to bridge this gap. Emphasising the role of technology, he said it can be a decisive factor in improving productivity. He also flagged the impact of El Niño on wheat and mango crops, stressing the need to reduce input costs, ensure timely availability of quality seeds and promote natural farming by cutting down chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Referring to a visit to Barabanki, he cited Padma Shri awardee progressive farmer Ramsaran Verma as an example of scientific farming delivering higher yields at lower costs. The chief minister said central initiatives have enabled a shift from single-crop to triple-crop patterns in several regions. With 85-86% of farmland irrigated, improved connectivity and 10-12 hours of assured power supply, Uttar Pradesh offers favourable conditions for agricultural expansion, he said. "Farmers who earlier grew one crop are now taking three crops annually. In some areas, maize harvested in May-June is yielding profits of up to Rs.1 lakh per acre," he said, adding that timely seed supply, awareness programmes and procurement centres have ensured better price realisation He underlined the need to reduce input costs, promote quality seeds, and encourage natural farming practices while leveraging technology. Referring to initiatives backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he cited the International Rice Research Institute's South Asia Regional Centre in Varanasi as a key contributor to improved seed varieties and farming practices. The chief minister also emphasised value chain development, particularly in potato production, noting that the upcoming International Potato Centre in Agra is expected to boost food processing and ensure better returns for farmers through competitive markets. Meanwhile, Chouhan said, "Unless states set clear targets and prepare actionable roadmaps, comprehensive farmer welfare cannot be achieved." The conference is part of a broader shift from a single national meet to region-wise consultations aimed at addressing local agricultural challenges more effectively. Union ministers of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary were also present at the conference. Among those in attendance were Uttar Pradesh agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Uttarakhand agriculture minister Ganesh Joshi, Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Punjab horticulture minister Mahendra Bhagat, Himachal Pradesh horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi, Jammu and Kashmir agriculture minister Javed Ahmad Dar, Uttar Pradesh Minister for horticulture, agricultural marketing, agricultural foreign trade and agricultural export Dinesh Pratap Singh, and Uttar Pradesh minister of state for agriculture Baldev Singh Aulakh....