New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the scientific community to develop more alternatives so that farmers in the country are not limited to growing wheat and paddy.
Addressing a webinar on budget provisions for the farm sector on Monday, he said: “We need to give such options to farmers so that they are not restricted to growing wheat and paddy”, adding, “there are many things that we can try like organic food and vegetables.”
The Prime Minister’s observations came in the backdrop of criticism that lack of crop diversification is stunting growth of the farming community.
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As per an estimate, wheat and rice occupy the majority of India’s farm lands and account for 78 per cent of the total food grain production resulting in high import of edible oils and pulses.
Highlights of Modi’s speech –
- Various initiatives taken by the government in the Budget for the next fiscal, including increasing the target of agriculture credit to Rs 16.5 lakh crore from Rs 15 lakh crore in the current financial year.
- Small and marginal farmers would become the driving force of the rural economy and the government has taken various decisions for the benefit of 12 crore small and marginal farmers.
- With the country's foodgrains production increasing, there is a need for post-harvest revolution or food processing revolution, and value additions.
- For the food processing revolution, he said, participation of farmers as well as public private partnerships need to be increased.
- So far, the public sector has mainly contributed towards R&D in the agriculture sector, and now the time has come to increase private sector's participation in it.
- Modi stressed on increasing the number of agro-industries cluster along the villages so that rural population can get employment related to farming.
- He also talked about the need to encourage agri startups, saying they have performed well during the pandemic period.
(With inputs from PTI)
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