Make all efforts to double farmers income by 2022: Governor
Author(s): Arvind SharmaDharamshala, January 29, 2018: Governor of Himachal Acharya Devvrat stressed to switch over to zero budget natural farming as chemical or organic farming was not acceptable in present scenario for the benefit of...
Dharamshala, January 29, 2018: Governor of Himachal Acharya Devvrat stressed to switch over to zero budget natural farming as chemical or organic farming was not acceptable in present scenario for the benefit of farmers. He said,” the agri-scientists had a great role to play in it and they need to start a movement from village level.”
He was speaking as chief guest during a programme organized on zero budget natural farming at Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar Agriculture University, Palampur, today. Chief Minister Shri Jai Ram Thakur presided over the function.
The Governor said,” zero budget natural farming system was the only alternative for chemical and organic farming as it was safe and had capacity to double the income of farmers. Under this system, the cost of production becomes zero and products were non-poisonous. It also increase productivity of land, requires less consumption of water, protects friendly pests and the products produced were of best quality.”
Acharya Devvrat said that Prime Minister had a vision to double the income of farmers up to 2022 and we should contribute in this direction and work for the welfare of farm community. He appealed that a group of five scientists should adopt one village for natural farming as the state government was providing all assistance and Chief Minister had started pilot project from this university.
The Governor said that industries in the name of organic products had been set up throughout the world and the inputs were more costly than chemical fertilizers which show that the exploitation of farmers had not been checked.
CM JR Thakur said,”As 90 percent of our population was dependant on agriculture and I strongly believe that the agriculture programmes directly associated with farmers should be pushed in a big way and not be delayed.”
Agriculture Minister Dr. Ram Lal Markanda while thanking the Governor said that it was a great opportunity to discuss zero budget natural farming technology and efforts were being made to revive it in the state. He said that as per the record of year 2015-16 the farmers were using 523 metric tonne pesticides and insecticides which was detrimental to the health causing fatal diseases.