After income security, focus should be on making farmers entrepreneurs: Agri Min official

The farm policies need to be reoriented to first ensure income security to farmers and later make them businessmen, a senior agriculture ministry official said on Thursday.

"Now, we are thinking to secure the community which has made our country food secure. We must emphasise on income security of farmer friends. Unless they are secured our aim of food and nutrition security, feed and fodder security and ecology security will not be fulfilled," said Ashok Dalwai, chairman of hight-level panel on doubling farmers income.

Dalwai, who is also CEO of the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), has recommended several policy measures to improve the income of farmers.

Speaking at an event organised by agro-chemicals firm Dhanuka Agritech Ltd, Dalwai said India has the capacity to improve the income of farmers.

"All our knowledge, science, policies need to be reoriented to benefit them. ...After income security, our next step would be to make farmers businessmen who works for profit which will be done though policy and other changes," he said.

Dalwai also mentioned that the green revolution must not be perceived negatively and at the same time there is a need to learn lessons from the milk revolution.

On the occasion, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary gave away the first edition of Dhanuka Innovative Agriculture Award (DIAA) with cash amount totalling Rs 22 lakh to 32 farmers in various categories for adopting and practising innovative farming techniques.

Dhanuka Agritech Chairman R G Agarwal said the awards have been instituted to felicitate the innovative farming community and encourage farmers to share their practices to enhance crop productivity and their income.