To chalk out a strategy for making agriculture a profitable business by enhancing productivity, the state government is planning a way out to have an effective agriculture policy. A mega three-day congregation of wizards from the sector would assemble in Jabalpur from June 16-18 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Agriculture University.
The experts will put their advice, views and opinion before the state authorities and finally recommendations will surface. The state will implement those recommendations in its agri policy.
Since 2004, when Bharatiya Janata Party took over the reigns from Congress, the state government has made efforts to make agriculture a profitable business, yet the machinery is still groping in the dark. In the absence of field staff, agriculture extension programmes are suffering, per hectare productivity in Rabi and Kharif is stagnant since years despite huge budgetary allocations, seed improvement programmes, funding in the form of agri-loans and cheaper cooperative loans. “It is not a day-long exercise, it will take time,” said R Parasuram, agriculture production and additional chief secretary of the department of farmers’ welfare and agriculture development.
State boasts of 11 agri-climatic zones and national organisations like National Soya Research Institute, Central Institute of Agriculture Engineering, Indian Institute of Soil Science and world class High Security Animal Disease Lab, yet farmers are across the state selling their land to industrial houses or real estate players.
“Research and agri-extension schemes have never been implemented properly. The governments, irrespective of parties, have no will to care for farmers. Why are the mandis serving the interests of political people and not farmers when we have the APMC Act (Agricultural Produce Market Committees Act) for perishable commodities like fruit and vegetables? Moreover, who cares for a proper demand-supply distribution system? Who suffers the most? Only the farmers,” said OP Goel, chairman India Soya Foundation, an Indore based organisation that works in interest of farmers.
According to state government’s Economic Survey, irrigation facilities in Madhya Pradesh are restricted to only 33 per cent of the total arable land and it needs immediate investment. Farmers are mainly dependent on the fluctuating monsoons. The state government has recently formed an “agriculture cabinet” under which seven ministers of various departments would deal with various issues directly affecting farmers.