Lucknow: On the initiative of the Government of India, a regional consultation program on natural farming and agricultural science will be held at the Centrum Hotel in Uttar Pradesh on July 19.
Around 500 representatives from 12 states, including the host state Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Chandigarh, will participate in the event. Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat will be the chief guest for the event.
This information was shared by the state’s Agriculture Minister, Surya Pratap Shahi, during a press conference on Tuesday. The press meet was attended by State Minister Baldev Singh Aulakh.
The Agriculture Minister said, “The program, hosted by Uttar Pradesh, will include participation from officials of the Central and State Governments, union territories, vice chancellors and deans of 15 Agricultural Universities, scientists from 180 Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and leading natural farmers.
The event will feature stalls showcasing natural farming techniques and a dialogue between scientists and farmers. Acharya Devvrat will highlight the special efforts made in natural farming in Kurukshetra.”
Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi announced that a state-level natural farming workshop will be held on July 20 at Acharya Narendra Dev Kumarganj University in Ayodhya.
The workshop will feature scientists from 25 Krishi Vigyan Kendras in eastern Uttar Pradesh, nodal officers of natural farming, vice chancellors of agricultural universities, deans, and approximately 250 farmers.
Mr Shahi stated, “The Yogi government is prioritizing natural farming. The government has approved the establishment of a natural farming lab at Rani Lakshmibai Central Agricultural University in Jhansi. Additionally, international-level labs for natural farming will be set up at Banda Agricultural University. These labs, funded with Rs 25 crore, will conduct tests related to natural farming and are expected to become operational within one to one and a half years.”
The Agriculture Minister announced that a program focusing on the health and dietary traditions of Amrit Kaal India will be held at Acharya Narendra Dev Agriculture University on July 19-20.
The event will include a discussion on achieving better health through consumption of millets (Shrianna), highlighting the research of Karnataka scientist Padmashree Khadar Vali. Attendees will include former Rajya Sabha MP RK Sinha, agricultural scientists, Shrianna farmers, FPOs, and processors. Additionally, a Shrianna workshop on ‘Shrianna’ will also be held at Banda Agriculture University on July 26.
The Agriculture Minister highlighted that the Yogi government has consistently taken significant initiatives to boost the cultivation of pulses and oilseeds. In 2016-17, oilseed production was 12.40 lakh metric tons, which increased to 28.16 lakh metric tons last year, he informed.
Since the Yogi government took office, oilseed production in Uttar Pradesh has risen by 15.75 lakh metric tons. Similarly, pulse production has grown from 23.94 lakh metric tons to 32.53 lakh metric tons, an increase of about eight and a half lakh metric tons compared to previous years.
Despite these improvements, the country imports oilseeds worth Rs 1 lakh 30 thousand crore and pulses worth Rs 25-30 thousand crore annually. The Yogi government is dedicated to making Uttar Pradesh self-sufficient in producing pulses and oilseeds.
He added, “The Kharif plantation and sowing program is underway, with crops planted in 34.75 lakh hectares this year. The target for this year is 102 lakh hectares, and approximately 35 percent of this area has already been covered. In comparison, only 29.63 percent of the area had been covered by this time last year. An action plan was developed and implemented on schedule for the farmers, and awareness was raised through Kisan Pathshaala programs.”
