CHENNAI: Looking to boost farming sector growth by more than four per cent, Indian Council of Agricultural Research has chalked out a massive Rs 2300 crore programme on various projects, including research.
“Now every state is coming up well in the agricultural sector, with many touching close to about 2.8 per cent. However our annual target agricultural growth rate is about four per cent”, ICAR director general Dr S Ayyappan told PTI.
These initiatives include gearing up to meet new challenges in climate change, public-private partnership projects and programmes to make more people take to agriculture as a livelihood.
“We are working deeply in all aspects in the country on climate change”, he said.
The public-private partnership initiative will benefit both sectors, besides the farmers. “More emphasis on innovation and interaction between the two sectors may result in more synergy among them”, he said.
To lure more people to take up agriculture as livelihood, various initiatives like farmers’ training and capacity building for more innovative agricultural practices have been chalked out. “We are also trying to bring them to higher stage by identifying innovators in each district and giving them awards at the national level”, he said.
Besides ICAR also conducts awareness campaigns among students on the agricultural sector that has good prospects so they will take up studies related to agriculture”, Dr Ayyappan said.
Dr Ayyappan, who was here to attend a function organised by Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, said every project or product initiated by ICAR has been formulated after consultation with state governments to be region specific.
“We are also customising region-specific products”, he said.
ICAR officials said the latest e-linkage facility is expected to help Krishi Vigyan Kendras develop fruitful partnerships between subject matter specialists of KVKs and researchers, extensionists and farmers to share and upscale appropriate technologies, best practices and innovative ideas or experiences among stakeholders.
