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Government plan to modernise agriculture

Special Correspondent

First meeting of the newly constituted task force on agriculture and animal husbandry held in Jaipur

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government intends to develop traditional farming into hi-tech agriculture with the objective of generating new employment opportunities and creating permanent sources of enhanced income for farmers. Steps have been taken to improve crop productivity and management of resources to achieve these targets.

Agriculture Minister Prabhulal Saini, stating this at the first meeting of the newly constituted Task Force on agriculture and animal husbandry here on Monday, pointed out that the emphasis on soil and water quality, agricultural marketing and processing of farm produce would pave the way for development of agricultural sector in the desert State.

The Task Force is headed by noted agricultural scientist and Chairman of the National Commission on Farmers, M.S. Swaminathan.

Mr. Saini said while Rajasthan occupied the leading position in the production of crops such as mustard, bajra, coriander and cumin, it had 40 per cent share in the production of wool and meat in the country, making animal husbandry an important foundation of rural economy.

The Minister said the State Government had encouraged direct sale of agricultural produce by amending the Krishi Upaj Mandi Act and introduced public-private partnership for improving productivity in Jaipur and Sikar districts. This initiative, launched in over 20,000-hectare area, had benefited nearly 25,000 farmers in 138 villages, he added.Dr. Swaminathan, addressing one of the sessions in the meeting, said the construction of water harvesting structures was the need of the hour in view of scarcity of irrigation waters which was adversely affecting productivity and stability in the agricultural sector.

The agricultural scientist pointed out that water harvesting would help resolve the difficulties created by unequal distribution of rain waters. He said a strategy for achieving 4 per cent growth rate in agricultural sector had been evolved as part of the agricultural renewal year to be observed from June 1, 2006 to May 31, 2007.

Dr. Swaminathan said deliberations on formulating the first-ever national policy for farmers had started in order to deal with the issues of raising income of farmers, improving and conserving land, water and bio-diversity, and protecting the rights of women engaged in farming. He said the policy would lay a special emphasis on attracting the youth to farming as an avocation.

Dr. Swaminathan, while underlining the need to encourage farmers to sow crops consuming less water, said animal husbandry should be promoted with the same priority and works relating to this sector should be included in the rural employment guarantee scheme.

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Government plan to modernise agriculture

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