Pune, December 23, 2024 | ANN – Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged Indian farmers to adopt sustainable and natural farming methods and also emphasized the need to reduce reliance on imports and make such policies which can provide more benefits to the farmers. Speaking at the Platinum Jubilee Conference of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics in Pune, Chouhan underscored the government’s commitment to transforming India into a global food basket.

Chouhan emphasised the need to curb the indiscriminate use of pesticides, highlighting its adverse impact on the ecosystem. “This earth was not made only for humans; it is made for all living creatures like insects and moths,” he said. He called for a collective effort to promote natural farming practices, which he believes will add significant value to agricultural production.

Boosting Infrastructure and Expanding Market Access

Highlighting the government’s ongoing initiatives, Chouhan said, “The government is continuously working to increase the storage capacity for farmers. Taking a step forward, a new scheme is being developed to facilitate the transportation of farmers’ products to distant places. Under this initiative, state and central governments are jointly creating plans to enable farmers to access markets across states.”

The minister also pointed to enhanced efforts in providing financial support to farmers. The government has increased subsidies and expanded access to Kisan Credit Cards, aiming to address immediate financial needs and reduce dependence on moneylenders.

River Linking Project to Tackle Floods and Droughts

Chouhan announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would launch the much-anticipated river-linking project on December 25, 2024. This ambitious initiative aims to address the dual challenges of floods and droughts by redistributing water resources. “The special river-linking project will balance water availability, benefiting areas prone to heavy rainfall as well as regions facing acute water scarcity,” he said.

Innovative Solutions for Agricultural Growth

The minister highlighted the need for innovative solutions to boost agricultural productivity. He stressed the importance of developing water-efficient irrigation technologies to maximise yields while minimising water use. Chouhan also underscored the necessity of reducing production costs to enhance the sector’s sustainability and global competitiveness.
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