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Cabinet stamp of approval for new agriculture policy
Dec. 20, 2019
Samridhi will focus on leveraging science and technology, adaptation to climate change, market linkage, higher productivity, creating infrastructure, diversification of production, skilling of human resources and strengthening institutions. In Samridhi the 2020 policy differs from the existing model, introduced in 2013.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, state agriculture secretary Saurabh Garg said the new policy will mainly focus on three key areas — crop diversification, market linkage and use of technology.
“As part of the diversification process, we would go for high-value crops instead of paddy. Crops like pulses and oilseeds would be planted in fallow land during Rabi season. Secondly, we will emphasize on market linkage to sell produces by strengthening the existing system. Since technology has made rapid progress in agriculture, the policy will focus on technological interventions for agricultural growth,” said Garg.
Instead of traditional crop like paddy, the policy emphasizes on the need to promote high-value crops like spices, medicinal plants, fruits and vegetables after carrying out proper soil testing and research.
The agriculture secretary sad the policy also encompasses activities in different sectors like fisheries, livestock, procurement, credit, insurance and irrigation for boosting farmers’ income.
In August, the state government had released the draft agriculture policy. As the state government has recently decided to converge its Kalia scheme with the Centre’s PM-Kisan, an agriculture department official said Kalia will continue in its modified manner.
The policy also intends to address some of the major issues faced by the farming community like inter-state disparity in farmers’ income, low productivity per hectare, high labour-intensive production processes, high dependence on weather and climate, growing gap between Odisha’s consumption demand and supply, low fertilizer consumption and low value of agriculture products.
In sync with the Centre’s zero budget farming, the new agriculture policy has also laid stress on promoting organic farming in the state. Organic farming will be promoted in rain-fed, dry land and hilly areas because of the prevalence of traditional practices of cultivation, low use of fertilizer and pesticide and geographical advantages.
As farmers in several pockets of Koraput, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Sundargarh practice zero budget farming or organic farming, the new policy aims to accelerate the practice with intervention of the state government to ensure higher yield in the areas.
Source: Times of India
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