The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Farm policies leave much to be desired, says Dwarakinath

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 28, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Farm policies leave much to be desired, says Dwarakinath

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Agricultural expert R. Dwarakinath on Friday suggested that the State's agriculture policy should address the crux of the problems facing the farm sector and find effective solutions to them.

`No specifics'

Participating in a seminar on agriculture and rural development organised by Parisara Prajna Prathishtana and Krishi Manava Parisara Prathishtana here, Prof. Dwarakinath said none of the agriculture policies announced by the State, including the one released recently, had made efforts to tackle specific problems of the sector.

Low growth

The agricultural growth rate was less than two per cent, though economic experts claimed that was higher, said Prof. Dwarakinath, who is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore.

He also observed that more suicides were being reported from middle-level farmers than those at the bottom. "The middle-level farmers face a crisis as they venture to take risks. They are the ones who are known for indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilisers," Prof. Dwarakinath said.

Sparse audience

Only a few people attended the seminar, apart from the speakers and media representatives.

There were more speakers and reporters than members of the audience.

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