Enhancement of agriculture essential for GDP growth: Pawar

Hyderabad, Nov 26: Enhancement of agricultural growth is essential for achieving an overall eight to ten per cent GDP growth, Union Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Affairs and Food, Sharad Pawar said today.

Inaugurating the second national conference of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), at the Acharya N G Agricultural University here, he said improved input efficiency and productivity were required for achieving accelerated agricultural growth to keep the economy in robust health.

The focus of Ninth Plan was on inclusive growth, not merely accelerating growth, he said adding that the benefits of higher growth would be shared by all sections of the society.

Admitting the agricultural crisis in the country, he said ''we were forced to import 5.5 million tonnes of wheat, which we used to export in earlier days. Now we need to import pulses and oilseeds to meet our demand.'' To meet the growing demand, ''we need to substantially raise investment in agriculture and make it more assured and competitive,'' he said adding that growth in agricultural productivity could only be sustained through continuous technological upgradation.

Land resources for agricultural purposes were actually shrinking and water was really becoming the most scarce resource globally. Soil erosion and degradation of land and waterbodies should be arrested and soil health and water quality needed to be preserved, he added.

Mr Pawar said by 2025, it is estimated that nearly 22 million hectares of rice irrigated land in Asia might face 'economic water scarcity' as the water supply for irrigation would become too expensive, besides an additional 17 million hectares might confront 'physical water scarcity' as supplies for irrigation would simply dry up.

There is need for new paradigms to access new agricultural research results, more innovations in institutional arrangements and focus on technologies for emerging societal needs and opportunities, he added.

He said empowerment of farmers with latest knowledge is considered vital and KVKs must prove their worthiness not only by the technology demonstration or trainings imparted, but by the level of impact of their efforts on the farmers as well.

He said the KVKs should serve as a lighthouse towards which farmers could look for something new, something novel and something innovative to add value to agriculture.

Mr Pawar lauded the Andhra Pradesh government for taking up more irrigation projects to bring more land under cultivation.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said there was a growing gap between scientific know-how and field level work.

The farmers should overcome this knowledge deficit immediately to enhance the productivity and profitability of small farms and launch a small farm management resolution.

He said 49 irrigation projects, which include 31 major and 18 medium were being taken up of which, eight projects were nearing completion.

On completion of these projects an additional of 40 lakh hectares of land would be brought under cultivation, he added.

UNI