New Delhi: The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that concerted efforts are required from every stakeholder to ensure that there is no agrarian distress in the country.
He was addressing the gathering at an interactive meet of farmers and scientists organised by Swarna Bharat Trust in association with Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, in Swarna Bharat Trust, Atkur, Vijayawada.
The Vice President said that the foremost need in the country is to double the income of the farmers by making agriculture resilient, sustainable and profitable. “We need to introduce structural changes and both the Centre and various States need to accord the highest priority to this aspect”, he added.
Emphasizing upon the important role played by infrastructure empowering the farmers, the Vice President said that improving rural road connectivity, setting up more godowns, cold storage facilities, ensuring assured water and electricity supply are some of the key measures which have to be implemented. Providing timely credit to farmers is equally important, he added.
Naidu said that the farmers should also be educated on the need to diversify crops and take up allied farm activities. A study by MANAGE has revealed that there were no suicides in the families of farmers, who took up allied activities, he pointed out.
The Vice President said that the agriculture sector needs a big push in India and in other parts of the world. It is obvious that a concerted, coordinated action is needed on a number of issues that impact the growth of agriculture sector and the quality of life of people who depend primarily on this sector, he said. The Government, Private Sector, Agricultural Universities, KVKs, Scientists and farmers must come together and address the pressing issues of farmers, he added.
Naidu said that irrigation, infrastructure, investment and insurance sectors need to be strengthened to support farmers. We need a multi-pronged approach to address the complex interrelated issues in current agriculture scenario, he added.
Earlier, the Vice President inaugurated an Exhibition on Agriculture and went around the same and interacted with the Farmers.
