A two-day regional workshop focused on addressing issues related to the horticulture sector is underway in Kochi, attended by representatives from Southern states, Union Territories, and central agencies.
In his inaugural address, Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary (Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, outlined the objectives of the workshop and the need to step up the adoption of various schemes under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
He stressed on the need for innovation and modern technologies for the sustained development of the horticulture sector, besides addressing issues related to climate change, availability of quality planting material, and ensuring remunerative returns for farmers.
He invited project proposals from states for enhancing the scalability of various schemes with the participation of progressive farmers.
Prabhat Kumar, Horticulture Commissioner and CEO CDB, stressed on the need for integrating food security with nutritional security in the efforts to achieve sustainable development. Horticultural crops have immense potential for carbon sequestration and are more adaptable to climate change, he said. The potential for the utilisation of products and by-products of horticultural crops and the scope for natural farming must be explored, he added.
The discussions and deliberations at the workshop are expected to help devise strategies for the sustained development of the horticulture sector.