Nitish asks scientists to develop farm techniques

Patna, Jan 27 (PTI) Describing global warming andclimate change as a major threat to food security, Bihar ChiefMinister Nitish Kumar today urged scientists to developnew farm technology to increase agricultural output.

"Global warming and climate change have emerged as amajor threat to agriculture sector throughout the world",he told a function here.

"Bihar too has borne the brunt of climate changeand suffered from the twin natural disasters of drought andfloods in recent years resulting in decrease of agricultureoutput", Kumar said.

"The monsoon has been erratic and along withunseasonal heavy rains played havoc with agriculture sector toimpede agriculture production", the Chief Minister noted.

In addition to the shortfall in the food production,the state and its people were likely to face water crisis innear future as the ground water was declining and the rechargedue to rain waters not happening as was the case earlier,Kumar said.

The right of food security of all citizens had becomeunavoidable and the state government was committed to ensurethe same, the Chief Minister said and urged the scientists todevelop new techniques to enable the farmers to achieve higheryield on their farmland.

The newly developed farm techniques should also besufficiently publicized in the state so that the farmersshould know about these products and use the same to step uptheir farm production, Kumar said.

Referring to various incentives and assistance to thefarmers under various schemes, he said that the agriculturedepartment should provide the benefits to all interestedfarmers without discrimination and favour.