Govt to support ICRISAT in reaching technology to small farmers
Updated: Jun 25, 2014 01:40:25pm
Hyderabad, Jun 25 (KNN) Recognising the importance of pulses in enhancing food security and income of the small farmers, the government has assured support to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for reaching technology to the door-steps of farmers.
During his visit to the ICRISAT earlier this week at ICRISAT, Hyderabad earlier this week, Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh exhorted ICRISAT to work for taking technology to more and more farmers.
“Taking technologies that are ready to the doorstep of every smallholder farmer in the country is a priority for the Union Government. With support from ICRISAT and other agricultural institutions, we will reach out to more farmers in rural India,” he said.
“We must improve the health of soil to the benefit of smallholder farmers. I urge ICRISAT to upscale plans to extend soil health cards to every farmer in the country,” he added.
Recognizing the importance of pulses in enhancing food security and incomes of smallholder farmers, the minister discussed the importance of upscaling cultivation of pulses and making it more competitive and attractive to farmers. He pledged additional support to the efforts of ICRISAT to enable a Pulses Revolution in India.
On the other hand, ICRISAT Director General, William D Dar discussed the idea of an India Genome Centre for Agriculture which has the potential to transform India into a global leader in genomics. The initiative focuses on areas critical to food security and aims to coordinate the work of all the genomics institutes across the country.
Enhanced support to value chains of nutri-cereals like millets which have been traditional crops in most areas across the country is essential. With high nutritional composition and resilience to survive in dry areas, nutri-cereals will be critical to India’s future helping overcome malnutrition and to cope with climate change. ICRISAT has been working closely with several organizations in the country on millets. (KNN/ES)
During his visit to the ICRISAT earlier this week at ICRISAT, Hyderabad earlier this week, Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh exhorted ICRISAT to work for taking technology to more and more farmers.
“Taking technologies that are ready to the doorstep of every smallholder farmer in the country is a priority for the Union Government. With support from ICRISAT and other agricultural institutions, we will reach out to more farmers in rural India,” he said.
“We must improve the health of soil to the benefit of smallholder farmers. I urge ICRISAT to upscale plans to extend soil health cards to every farmer in the country,” he added.
Recognizing the importance of pulses in enhancing food security and incomes of smallholder farmers, the minister discussed the importance of upscaling cultivation of pulses and making it more competitive and attractive to farmers. He pledged additional support to the efforts of ICRISAT to enable a Pulses Revolution in India.
On the other hand, ICRISAT Director General, William D Dar discussed the idea of an India Genome Centre for Agriculture which has the potential to transform India into a global leader in genomics. The initiative focuses on areas critical to food security and aims to coordinate the work of all the genomics institutes across the country.
Enhanced support to value chains of nutri-cereals like millets which have been traditional crops in most areas across the country is essential. With high nutritional composition and resilience to survive in dry areas, nutri-cereals will be critical to India’s future helping overcome malnutrition and to cope with climate change. ICRISAT has been working closely with several organizations in the country on millets. (KNN/ES)
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