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Gujarat has earned another national recognition for its excellence in the horticulture sector.
At the 17th Agriculture Leadership Conclave-2026 held in New Delhi, the state was conferred with the prestigious Agriculture Leadership Award-2026. The award was presented by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde. Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani received the honour on behalf of the Government of Gujarat. Notably, the Agriculture Today Group, established in 1998 to promote dialogue among policymakers, agricultural scientists and farmers, has emerged as one of the country's leading platforms for the agriculture sector. On the advice of eminent agricultural scientist Dr M. S. Swaminathan, the Group instituted the Agriculture Leadership Award in 2008. The 17th edition of the award was recently held in New Delhi. The award selection committee is headed by former Chief Justice of India Justice P. Sathasivam, reflecting the award's credibility, transparency and prestige. Upon receiving the award, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani said that Gujarat has earned this recognition for its visionary initiatives and innovations in the horticulture sector. He said the honour belongs not only to the Government but also to the millions of hardworking farmers of Gujarat and the dedicated personnel of the Agriculture Department. Dedicating the prestigious award to the state's farmers, he congratulated all those associated with the horticulture sector and the Agriculture Department for their contribution. Agriculture Minister stated that under the leadership of the then Chief Minister and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat had earlier received the Agriculture Leadership Award as the Best Agriculture State in 2009 and 2014. He noted that during Narendra Modi's tenure as Chief Minister, pioneering initiatives such as the Krushi Mahotsav, Soil Health Card programme and drip irrigation transformed the state's agriculture sector, helping Gujarat achieve the country's highest agricultural growth rate of 9.9% during the Tenth Five-Year Plan. Thereafter, Gujarat was once again recognised as the Best Agriculture State in 2018, and in 2019, the state received the Agriculture Leadership Award for its outstanding performance in the animal husbandry sector. After seven years, Gujarat has once again been honoured with the prestigious Agriculture Leadership Award, this time for excellence in the horticulture sector. The Minister said this recognition is not only a matter of pride for the state but also a key milestone that will inspire Gujarat to achieve new benchmarks in the field of agriculture. At the award ceremony, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, former Chief Justice of India and Jury Chairman Justice P. Sathasivam, and other distinguished dignitaries lauded Gujarat's progressive agricultural policies and congratulated the Government of Gujarat and the state's farmers on receiving this prestigious honour. (ANI)
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