Second Green revolution need of the hour: Official

Bangalore, Apr 28 (UNI) Biotechnology Department Secretary M K Bhan today said the country should launch a second green revolution by focusing on dry-land agriculture with introduction of new technology and production.

Addressing a Convocation at the University of Agricultural Sciences here, he said the first green revolution had bypassed dry land-farming and it should be taken as the climate changes, since global-warming could have an adverse impact on land productivity.

Mr Bhan said India's agrarian seenario had deteriorated and the two per cent slump in agricultural growth rate had affected our economy, employment opportunities and food and nutritional security.

Stating that agriculture policy must concentrate on increasing employment opportunities in the rural heartland, he said ''Our performance in secondary agriculture, based on value-addition to utilisation of agricultural residues was poor when compared to China and other countries.'' Innovation and enterprise in this direction could generate billions of dollars and would provide an opportunity to our younger generation to earn their livelihood, he added.

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