The Vice-President,
Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today called for an integrated
approach to sustain the fruits of green revolution by connecting
the rural community with the product, processing and marketing
management systems. He was addressing the 41st Convocation
of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute here today. Shri
Shekhawat observed that Indian agriculture ‘is at the cross
roads and is faced with diverse challenges including the high
population pressure, over exploitation of essential natural
resources, greater demand for value added food, changing land
use patterns, threat to biodiversity, and the global environment
driven by WTO, tightened IPR regime and other such agreements’.
The Vice-President, however, hoped that these challenges could
be effectively countered and some of them could be possibly
transformed into opportunities through appropriate initiatives.
Emphasising the
need for ‘Evergreen Revolution’ as a logical sequel of green
revolution, Shri Shekhawat called for integrated networking
of rural community instead of segmented or compartmentalised
approach to agriculture. He further said new areas should be
explored where agricultural products could be utilised more
profitably. Stating that diversification of agriculture would
be critical for sustained benefits to the farming community,
Shri Shekhawat said small farm mechanisation, use of sprinklers
and drip systems, adoption of high-value and low-volume crops
would be certainly rewarding.
Expressing concern
over environmental degradation resulting in nutrient depletion
due to soil erosion, lowered water tables and salanization,
Shri Shekhawat urged the farm scientists to orient research
towards sustainability. He said excessive use of productive
agriculture inputs like fertilizers and pesticides has further
accelerated the pace of pollution of water bodies and soil,
causing extensive damage to habitats and species. Organic farming
practices and production strategies should be followed to enrich
the factors of production, he observed.
Shri Shekhawat
called for restructuring educational programmes to generate
researches and entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and aspirations
who would in turn act as ‘job creators’ rather than ‘job seekers’.
He said institutions like IARI would serve as ‘technology incubators’
and platforms for the development of talented human resources.
On this occasion
Agriculture Minister, Shri Ajit Singh released two high yielding
varieties of wheat, three of rice and one of bazra.
