Contingency preparedness interface meeting for Gujarat

Hyderabad: ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) along with Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), GoI, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat and Department of Agriculture, Government of Gujarat organized contingency preparedness interface meeting with various stakeholders on Friday at Anand Agricultural University, Anand.

Overall objective was to sensitize the various stakeholders on the ensuing kharif season with regard to the forecast of seasonal monsoon and to prepare the action plans based on available district contingency plans in the eventuality of deficient rainfall during kharif 2015 season based on IMD monsoon forecast.

This interface meeting was chaired by Shri Arun Kumar Solanki, IAS, Pr. Secretary, Agriculture and Cooperation, Govt. of Gujarat. Shri Solanki suggested that the State Agricultural Universities may compile better natural resource management technologies at district level and be provided to Gujarat State Land Development Corporation. He also said that every nodal agency such as seed Corporation, land development corporation etc should have their own plan for each district to address the contingency scenarios that may emerge due to aberrant weather conditions. He stressed then need to enhance the coverage of crop/ weather insurance programmes in a targeted manner specially for non loaned farmers like other developmental programmes.

Dr Ashish Kumar Bhutani, JS, DAC, desired that the district level contingency plans to be made available as advisories. He stressed that there is a need to cover large number of farmers, specially from small and marginal farmers, with crop/ weather insurance program.

Dr. M Maheswari, CRIDA appraised the efforts being made to create awareness various stakeholders at district level on the need for operationalization of contingency plans.

Dr NC Patel,  Vice Chancellor, Anand Agricultural University,  Sri BR Shaw, Director, Dept. of Agriculture, ICAR Local Institutes Directors, Director of Research/ Director of Extension of different state agricultural universities in Gujarat, Representatives from Seed Corporation, Gujarat Land Development Corporation, Divisional and District Heads of Agriculture Department, Director ATMA, Zonal Project Director, Project Coordinators of KVKs, and CRIDA-Agricultural Contingency Cell (ACC) scientists participated in the meeting.