Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Tuesday said that the relationship between administration and the society was changing and that the people and the government were devising new mechanism to work together.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that addressing the gathering of farmers and agricultural scientists after inaugurating the IFFCO’s Farmer's Convention on Liquid Nano Urea, the Lt Governor said that the biggest challenge today was to make fertilisers more sustainable for future and ensure adequate nutrition.
“Nano Urea enhances productivity, quality, reduces CO2 emission, and increases farmer's profitability,” he said. “To meet the challenges of climate change, high farm input cost, productivity, resilience against socio-economic factors, we are implementing policies that tackle the problems and create synergies between a range of concerns and with the multiple stakeholders.”
The LG said that J&K's economy was now growing quite strongly and agriculture reform was the best cure for sustained growth.
“Our steps are focused on enhancing productivity, competitiveness, removing disparities, diversification to higher value commodities, expansion of agro-processing and value chains,” he said.
Noting that the relationship between administration and society was changing and people and government were devising a new mechanism to work together, the LG said that farmers and officials should work together and strengthen the collaboration to put agricultural economy on a new trajectory of growth and better implementation of reforms.
“Soil conservation is a global priority now. For better management of agricultural production, investing deeply in soil health, prevention of biodiversity loss is necessary for sustainable growth,” he said. “Individual farmer incomes have grown solidly over the last two years and the pace of reform has quickened recently followed by recommendations of Apex Committee on holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors.”
The LG said that the structural and attitudinal changes were reflecting in productivity performance, adaption of new technologies, expansion of public extension services and strengthening of infrastructure and operations.
“We have huge potential for processing, comparative advantage in several agricultural commodities and scope for mobilising farmers through FPOs and SHGs to monetise produce, secure livelihood and standard of living for farmers and workers,” he said.
Congratulating Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO) for developing Liquid Nano Urea aimed at reducing pollution and increasing crop production, the LG said Liquid Nano Urea was making a positive impact in J&K's agriculture sector.
He said that IFFCO’s initiatives like training on the use of Nano Urea, battery-operated sprayers and spray-drones and declaring villages Akalpur in Jammu and Y K Pora in Kashmir as IFFCO Nano Fertiliser Model Villages would complement the government’s efforts in protecting and improving fertility of agricultural fields.
The LG said that Mangala Rai-led Apex Committee on agriculture provides a futuristic roadmap for upliftment of the farming community and making agriculture sustainable and productive for the coming generations, especially for those involved in traditional and high-value crops.
He also distributed incentives and awards to the progressive farmers.
Exhibition and stalls had been installed for extending information on various agriculture schemes and benefits to farmers.
Additional Chief Secretary of Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo said that 140 PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras would be established in Phase-I in J&K in collaboration with IFFCO and fertiliser companies which would provide information, advisories, and equipment required for farming, besides increasing interactions between agricultural scientists and farmers.
Vice Chancellor of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu (SKUAST-J), Prof J P Sharma highlighted the steps taken and initiatives initiated for increasing farmers’ income through increased production and reducing input cost.
Managing Director and CEO of IFFCO U S Awasthi threw light on the key features and benefits of Nano Urea in increasing farm productivity.
He said that IFFCO was committed towards the service and welfare of farming community.
Director of Agriculture, Jammu K K Sharma was also present on the occasion.
