Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Friday, Feb 16, 2007
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Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Friday, Feb 16, 2007 ePaper |
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Agri-Biz & Commodities
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Events States - Tamil Nadu `Safeguard farmlands through scientific policy' Our Bureau
FARM DRIVE: The Tamil Nadu Governor, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, visiting the farm science exhibition put up at the venue of the eighth Agricultural Science Congress in Coimbatore on Thursday. — S. Siva saravanan
Presiding over the inaugural session of the eighth Agricultural Science Congress which opened at the Tamilnadu Agricultural University (TNAU) here on Thursday, Dr Swaminathan pointed out the need for a land use strategy in every state based on the principles of ecology, economics, equity and employment generation. The available land should be classified by a competent land use advisory services along the lines of conservation, restoration, sustainable intensification areas and non-farm use areas to promote harmonious development of agriculture and industry. He said only agriculture comprising crop and animal husbandry, marine and inland fisheries, and agro forestry/agro processing can promote job-led economic growth. Land Acquisition Act, which is being invoked in cases of land diversion for non-farm purpose, needs an amendment. While some wants the large number of farmers with small holdings to exit farming by selling their lands to businesses and industry, those proposing such exit strategy should also suggest an entry strategy. The three-day proceedings of the Congress hosted by the TNAU was inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu Governor, Dr Surjit Singh Barnala. He also formally released the policy paper of the Congress titled `Agriculture can't wait - New horizons in Indian Agriculture' brought out by the organisers, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Green revolution
Earlier, touching upon the `six major' challenges the country's agricultural scientists and policy makers were to grapple with in order to revive the `spirit of the `green revolution', Dr Swaminathan in his conference address on `India's tryst with destiny in agriculture' had enlisted defending the gains achieved in the `heartland of green revolution', namely the fertile crescent areas of Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh. These areas, the mainstay in the country's current food security, currently faces serious ecological problems such as ground water depletion and salinisation of soil. Adoption of green agriculture and conservation of farming involving efficient soil health/water management were suggested in these areas. He also recommended creating two more additional fertile crescents covering the water-rich Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal/Assam and Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra and Orissa (in the post-Cauvery water tribunal award) which would ensure the stability of food supply/income, and work security for rural families. Among his other suggestions to sustain agriculture are improving productivity in rainfed dry land agriculture in areas of pulses, setting up of interdisciplinary research centres on management of climate change (with panchayat level climate managers), creation of contract farming council in every state to bring about sustainable/equitable contract farming system and establishment of village knowledge centres to remove the gaps in the know-how transfer.
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