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Our Bureau Agriculture should not be seen as a cause, but as a solution to problems. The country should reorient its agricultural research to focus on the challenges of smallholder farmers, according to RS Paroda, Chairman of Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS) and a former Director-General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Delivering the second convocation of Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) on Sunday, he said lack of access to new technologies, escalating costs, market volatility and the effects of climate change have led to the decline in yields and farm income.
“These factors are making agriculture both non-profitable and unattractive,” he said.
“We must make sure that smallholder farmers are at the heart of all our efforts. We need to develop food systems that produce more food but with fewer resources,” he said.
The university presented Paroda with a Doctor of Science degree in recognition of his contribution to agriculture and allied sectors.
Post-harvest losses
On average, post-harvest losses are reported to be 4-6 per cent in foodgrains and 12-15 per cent in fruits and vegetables. “The challenge is to minimise such losses and provide options to farmers for value addition for higher income,” he said.
This actually provided a good scope for employment generation in the agricultural processing sector. In the developed countries, it is estimated that up to 14 per cent of the total workforce is engaged in agro-processing sector directly or indirectly.
“But we have only 3 per cent of the workforce engaged in this sector now. This actually is a vast untapped potential for employment generation,” he said.
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