VP urges to make agriculture sustainable and profitable

Pune: In a bid  for making agriculture viable, profitable and sustainable to improve the lot of farmers and ensure home-grown food security, the Vice President of India, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu  called for a two-day National Consultation at Vaikuntha Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management, Pune in Maharashtra on Thursday.

The meeting saw the presence of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, former Union Minister for Agriculture, Sharad Pawar, renowned Agricultural Scientist, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, former Agriculture Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr.Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, Indian Agricultural Economist, Mr.Ashok Gulati, several farm experts, farmers and other dignitaries.

With a focus on making agriculture profitable and sustainable, Mr Naidu stressed that there is a need to identify the gap in the policies and at the same time focus on pro-farmers oriented policies. Further emphasizing on the sustainable use of resources, the Vice president asserted the need to strengthen the 4 Is (- Irrigation, Infrastructure, Investment and Insurance sectors) for integrated development of farm sector.

The Vice president further stressed some issues pertaining to profitability of the farmers such as, providing timely credit at affordable interest rates,efficient distribution of food grains,e-NAM implementation and Lab-to-Land transfer of technologies

The Vice President urged the farmers to take up allied activities like poultry, dairy, fisheries and aquaculture to not only enhance their income but also as security against the adverse impact of failed crop.

?The Vice President also re-emphasized on the necessary changes to be brought upon to achieve the objectives under ‘Doubling farmers income by 2022’.