DHARWAD: "We must make sure that our agricultural practices not only conform to the changing patterns of the modern world but also ensure the fulfilment of the simple demands of the livelihood of millions of people living in remote villages," Madhya Pradesh Governor Balram Jakhar has said.

Delivering the convocation address at the 20th convocation of the University of Agricultural Sciences here on Tuesday, he said students, professors and agricultural experts had a significant role to play in addressing the problems facing the country.

Dr. Jakhar said although the country had seen a substantial growth in agriculture and dairying, there was no room for complacency. Soil fertility was decreasing because of continuous cultivation of certain crops without the addition of organic nutrients. It was often argued that the use of inorganic fertilizers should be minimised while increasing the use of organic fertilizers. But in a country where the population was increasing faster than the increase in agricultural production, inorganic fertilizers could not be discarded. An integrated nutrient management system needed to be evolved, he said.

Elaborating on the problem of soil erosion due to floods and deforestation, he underscored the need for educating farmers to preserve soil fertility with scientific crop rotation. "I personally think that the sooner we develop group farming, call it cooperative farming or give it any other name, the better it would be in the interests of farmers and the nation. To begin with, a system of joint services should be evolved since it was disadvantageous for farmers to work in isolation," he said.

Dr. Jakhar said that at a time when the country was aspiring to usher in a second green revolution, if the problem of indiscriminate use of canal water is not solved, then it might end up in a war-like situation for water for irrigation. He stressed the need for introducing measures to solve the problem. All efforts should be made to conserve rainwater in ponds and tanks, he said.

Diversification

He said there was also an urgent need for diversification of agriculture. Farmers should switch over to horticulture, cultivation of medicinal plants, floriculture, farm forestry and so on.

The diversification should be supported by link roads, an efficient transport system including refrigerated vans, information and communication technology, agro-processing for value addition, export incentives, packaging and so on.

Adequate and timely supply of agricultural inputs was another serious problem, which should be immediately addressed, he said.

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