Focus on new tech, says Kurien

Coimbatore, Jun 28 (UNI) Former Chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF) Verghese Kurien today said future growth in Indian agriculture must come from new technologies which were not only ''cost effective'' but also conformed to natural resources and climatic conditions of the country.

Delivering the 27th convocation address of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) here, Dr Kurien said in future, production and marketing of high value commodities must be suitably integrated through appropriate institutions.

He also called for developing and strengthening the institutions and greater public-private partnership supported by suitable changes in the legal system which would go a long way in boosting agricutural growth, augmenting income of small farm holders and promoting exports.

Stressing on new technologies relevant to rain-fed areas, he said it was found that investment in rain-fed areas had tremendous potential to accelerate agricultural growth and boost productivity.

As farming in rain-fed areas was fraught with risks, science and policy should focus on mitigating them.

Dr Kurien said improving drought resistance through biotechnology and risk minimisation through development of credit and insurance markets were the two possible interventions to promote rain-fed agriculture.

Indian farmers were shifting more and more towards cash crops.

This demanded new extention approaches for benefitting farming community, especially small and marginal farmers.

Recalling the earlier success in Indian agriculture, he said it was possible because of the timely support of government policy.

He also called for change in strategy and methodology for agriculture extension considering the changes taking place in domestic as well as international environment.

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