Raje seeks Israel help in farming

Rajasthan chief minister terms Israel as the world's leading country in desert farming

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, while terming Israel as the leading country in the world in desert farming, said Israel's technical co-operation in agriculture and water management was necessary for her state.

Raje said this while making a presentation on the agriculture and animal husbandry sectors in the state in a programme organised under the Israel India Business Forum in Israel on Wednesday.

Stressing that the shortage of water was the biggest challenge for the state, Raje said to meet this challenge there was a need to change the mindset of farmers. The state government has of late been paying more stress on new, innovative and high-tech farming instead of traditional agriculture.

She informed the audience, which included Israel agriculture minister, that 66 percent people of the state were dependent on agriculture and animal husbandry.

In this situation the development of agriculture and animal husbandry was not only important but also are big challenge in the state.

She said that the state had only one percent share of the ground water of the country and 70 percent farmland was dependent on rainwater. From the point of under ground water only six districts were in safe zone. Exploitation of water at present is more than the annual recharging and such a situation is unsustainable she added.

Raje said water conservation was being promoted in the state. Production of low water crops like mustard, gram, castor, moong and moth was being promoted in place of high water intensive crops. Besides state government was making efforts to popularise the cultivation of spices, medicinal and cosmetic plants, fruits and flowers.

The chief minister said with a view to make water conservation and management effective in the state, effort was being made to bring about a change in the traditional thinking regarding farming.

She said that state government has been seeking cooperation of industrial houses voluntary organisations and civil societies.

She said that Rajasthan Community Business Alliance on Water and the water campaign to be launched soon were the results of these efforts. Raje said that mandies were being setup for specific crops in the state.

Along side private mandies have been promoted. She emphasised the need for working in the area of milk and wool production, crop management, warehousing, agro processing and livelihood security.

The chief minister said that the cooperation between Rajasthan and Israel would prove beneficial for both parties. She said that the cooperation between the two would enable research on biodiversity conservation of rainwater and development of agricultural institutions in Rajasthan.

She said that apart from this there was vast possibility of working in the areas of crop improved seeds, fertilisers, micro irrigation, green house, post harvest management, agro processing and cattle breed improvement.