Mega agriculture summit to evolve consensus for preparation of roadmap for agriculture development in country

Chandigarh, February 11, 2014: The Country’s first ever forthcoming Progressive Punjab Agriculture Summit (PPAS) in Mohali on February 16-19 would offer a healthy platform to transform the destiny of millions of millions farmers especially the small and marginal ones by evolving consensus to chalk out a pro-farmer action plan for the overall agriculture development in the country after marathon discussions with internationally acclaimed agri-experts economists, researchers and scientists to safeguards the interests of the beleaguered peasantry which was passing through a deep crisis.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that eminent agriculture experts and delegates from Canada, Pakistan, UK, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, and United States would participate in the summit. The Saskatchewan (Canada) Minister of Agriculture Mr. Lyle Stewart, Agriculture Minister Pakistan Punjab Dr. Furrukh Javed, British Deputy High Commissioner North West India Mr. David Lelliott, Director Netherlands Agro, Food & Technology Centre (NAFC) Mr. Marijn Leijten, Australian First Secretary Mr. Chris King, Director General International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre USA Dr. Thomas Lumpkin would amongst the galaxy of delegates and agriculture experts invited from across the globe to participate in the summit. The Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister was being accompanied by a powerful delegation of 20 business men from Canada to attend the Summit.
The spokesperson further said that the world famous Agriculture Scientist and Plant Breeder Dr. Gurdev Singh Khush, Director General Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) New Delhi Dr. S. Ayyappan, Former Chairman Commission for Agriculture Costs & Prices (CACP) Prof. T Haque, Director National Centre for Agriculture Economics & Policy Research Dr. Ramesh Chand, Former Director General Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), New Delhi Dr. RS Parodha would throw light on various aspects of agriculture production, marketing, value-addition and scope of synergy between agriculture and agro-processing.
This agriculture summit was an outcome of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s sincere efforts and vision to bail out the distressed farmers from the agrarian crisis on one hand and boost their income by motivating them to go for allied farming and animal husbandry activities in a big way.
The Chief Minister has extended invitation to all the Chief Ministers, Agriculture Ministers and eminent political leaders of national repute cutting across the political lines to participate in this historic event to seriously dwell on the pathetic condition of our farming community in order to mitigate their sufferings thereby suggesting ways and means to supplement their income.
Pertinently to mention here that nearly 92 out of 138 million land holders were holding less than one acre in the country and their condition was pitiable; due to the prevailing agrarian crisis, they are neither farmers nor laborers.
Realising the enormous contribution of the Punjab farmers in making our country self-reliant in food production, it was now the high time for the Government of India to pay back them as they have already sacrificed their natural resources for the sake of national food security. The poor lot of neglected farming community could only be ameliorated through pro-farmer policies and this summit would prove to a milestone for paving a way to evolve consensus to formulate a viable national agriculture policy.  
Nearly 50,000 farmers alone from Punjab and 5000 farmers from other states viz. West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, J&K would participate in this mega agri-summit being held at legendary Baba Banda Singh Bahadur War Memorial at Chappar Chirri in Mohali over an area of 130 acres..
On the occasion, the Punjab Government has decided to honor three famers from each district of Punjab and three farmers from each state of the country with a cash award of Rs. 51,000, in recognition for their outstanding contribution in the field of Agriculture and allied farming. Likewise, 50 experts and scientists in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry would also be honored for their exemplary services in the field of research & development of Agriculture.
A Coffee table book highlighting the Punjab’s contribution in making our country self-reliant in food production and ushering in green and white revolution is being published on this historic occasion. A technical outcome book would also be brought out after the summit based on the vital inputs and recommendations given by the delegates and experts during the summit to prepare a comprehensive blue-print for the overall agriculture development in the country with a thrust to improve the economy of the farmers.
As many as 11 technical sessions on various topics/themes on Punjab agriculture challenges and way forward, bio-technology in agriculture, potato seed production, rearing of small ruminants, commercial dairy farming, agriculture marketing and risk management, bee-keeping, investment in food & agri processing besides panel discussion on farmers economy with focus on role of Punjab in Indian agriculture economy, handling and marketing of food grains, farmers indebtedness and future of farming etc. would be held.  
An exhibition displaying latest crop production technologies, modern agriculture inputs and latest farm equipments, machinery and implements besides agro-processing opportunities would be organised over an area of 35 acres and nearly 400 stalls exhibiting live demonstration of drip irrigation, net houses, live stock, and machinery would be put up. Representatives of 13 National Institutions including Indian Council of Agriculture Research New Delhi, Director of Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fishery New Delhi,  National Horticulture Board, National Seeds Corporation, New Delhi, Coconut Development Board Kerala, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. New Delhi, Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage, Faridabad,  National Horticulture Mission, New Delhi,  National Committee on Plasticulture Applications in Horticulture New Delhi, State Farm Corporation of India New Delhi,  Small Farmers' Agri Business Consortium (SFAC) New Delhi,  National Dairy Development Board, Gujarat and National Cooperative Development Corporation, New Delhi.
Several leading industrial houses in Agri Business like Aditya Birla Group, Tata Chemicals, Mahindra & Mahindra Agri Business, Godrej Agrovet, Dabur India Ltd., ITC, Nestle, Coca Cola, PepsiCo India, DSCL (Shriram Fertilizers & Chemicals), New Holland Fiat India Ltd., Syngenta India, Wimco Limited, E.I. DuPont India Pvt. Ltd., Cargill India Pvt. Ltd., John Deere India Ltd. and Rallis India would also actively participate in the summit by putting up their stalls in the exhibition. // punjab news live, punjab news online, punjab news, punjab news headlines, punjab breaking news, india news, punjab news, world news,

http://cityairnews.com/