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Task force to increase farm productivity set up

Staff Reporter

Farmers' conference to be convened soon

PONDICHERRY: The Government has constituted a task force to suggest measures to increase the agriculture productivity. Announcing the decision to observe the period till May 31, 2007 as the Year of the Farmer, Agriculture Minister V. Vaithilingam told reporters on Wednesday that the Agriculture Secretary would head the task force.

At present there are 30,000 hectors of cultivable land and out of this, 20,000 was under paddy cultivation. The remaining land had been used for cultivating a variety of crops. The Minister said the main thrust would be to increase the yield per hector by using hybrid varieties. It would also take steps to help the allied farming sectors such as horticulture, fisheries and veterinary. A farmer's conference would be soon convened in Pondicherry and Karaikal. The task force would also look into modalities of conserving and enhancing soil nutrition. A sustainable water security system would be put in place particularly in rain fed areas lacking assured irrigation facility. The Minister also said that the present credit and insurance system for farmers was inadequate and a new policy direction had been contemplated.

He also said that knowledge connectivity as proposed under Centre's Bharat Nirman programme to be accomplished by establishing knowledge centres throughout the State.

The existing Agriculture IT Infrastructure established in Uzhavar Uthaviyagam would be `dovetailed' to meet the requirements, he added.

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