The Swaminathan Committee on agricultural education yesterday recommended an investment of Rs 1,000 crore in the public sector during the next five years for agricultural education.
The 18-member committee on agriculture education, constituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (Icar) under the chairmanship of Dr M S Swaminathan, yesterday submitted the report to agriculture minister Chaturanan Mishra here.
In real life, our farmers are mixed adopting crop-livestock, fish and sometimes crop-livestock-fish integration. It is our view that this should be stopped, Dr Swaminathan said.
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The committee has recommended that one per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), both at the Central and state level, should be earmarked for agriculture research and education, of which 20 per cent should be exclusively for agricultural education.
Speaking on the occasion, Mishra said the government would set up a committee to review the recommendations of the committee.
The Swaminathan Committee has recommended a multi-dimensional financial support system including resource mobilisation by the universities from the private sector and rich farmers.
Icar should provide adequate development grants and state governments should provide full support for establishment costs, including development of student laboratories and field facilities, the report said. The committee has listed 25 major recommendations to make agricultural education a powerful instrument to ensure food security, gender equity, job creation and global competitiveness.
The recomendations range from the technological empowerment of Panchayati Raj members and women to the strengthening of education and research.
The committee has also recommended establishment of agricultural technology parks.