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The government would promote micro-irrigation, dryland farming, genetic upgrading of cattle and horticulture in a big way to raise productivity and agricultural sustainability of rainfed areas.
Inaugurating Krishi Vigyan Mela at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar, today said that excessive water usage and water-intensive cropping practices were costly to the farmer as well as environment, and advised farmers to go for micro-irrigation to conserve soil and water. On its part, the Government will take necessary steps to popularize and support them, he said.
Shri Pawar also said that the government is setting up new marketing system for farmers under the Forward Market Commission. This would enable farmers to take benefit from forward prices. The Government is also amending the Negotiable Instruments Act to remove malpractices in the present system.
Inviting the attention of the scientific community that the country has reached a saturation point in the production of several agricultural and dairy items, Shri Pawar called for quality improvement to bring it to the international levels. Scientist could help be producing and promoting quality seeds and superior breeds of animals, he said. It must be borne in mind, the Minister said, that in the years to come, the producer will have to not only compete in the international market, but also cater to the consumer’s tastes.
The Minister asked the States to amend the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees Act at the earliest to facilitate farmers to sell their produce in markets outside their States so as to get remunerative prices.
Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Dr. Mangala Rai talked of the new technologies emerging in the agricultural sector and called upon farmers to get benefit from through farmers’ fairs and Kisan Ghosthis organized by IARI and other institutions.
Dr. S Nagarajan, Director IARI, informed that breeder seed of nine newly evolved wheat varieties produced under farmer’s participatory programme by Regional Station, Indore is available to farmers in the Mela. The three-day mela, on the theme ‘Prosperity through Seed’, is being attended by farmers from across the country. Several agricultural related products and innovations are on display in the mela.
MKP:RC:SAK: krishivigyanmela
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