Karnataka: Integrated farming in 1,000 villages

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsThe Karnataka Krishi Mission will now focus on integrated farming system to encourage farmers to take up agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and apiculture in their farms, instead of the traditional single crop. At a seminar on “technology as a driver of growth”, Dr S A Patil, Chairman of the Karnataka Krishi Mission, said the programme will be implemented in 1,000 villages across the state with an outlay of Rs 50 crore during 2012-13. During the interaction, he also said that the government has to give importance to technology in agriculture and to propagate science. “Without Bt cotton, we could not have doubled cotton production to 340 lakh bales in a decade’s time. We have to achieve an annual production of 300 million tonnes of food grain by the next five years to feed the growing population,” Patil said. He also noted that by improved land engineering (better soil and moisture conservation), productivity can be increased by 10 per cent. Comparing with global standards he said, while China and Thailand achieve 6 to 9 tonnes of paddy per hectare, we still hover around 2 tonnes. “Around 60 per cent of farmers in China use hybrid seeds unlike here, which is just 1-2 per cent,” he said. “Uncertainty in rainfall can be removed if there is an increase in using drip irrigation, mulching techniques and building tank bunds,” Patil added. Dr Narayana Gowda, Vice-Chancellor of University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, said importance should be placed on reducing overhead charges (transportation cost), value add processing, biofuel interventions, judicious use of water and setting up of marketing linkages. “The general view is, people think agriculture is not profitable but animal husbandry is. We did not empower our farmers earlier and it is time to look up,” Gowda said. Dr A S Sidhu, Director of Indian Institute of Horticulture Research and Narendra Pasuparthy, Director of Nanda Groups were present at the eventfirst published:September 03, 2012, 10:47 ISTlast updated:September 03, 2012, 10:47 IST
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The Karnataka Krishi Mission will now focus on integrated farming system to encourage farmers to take up agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and apiculture in their farms, instead of the traditional single crop.

At a seminar on “technology as a driver of growth”, Dr S A Patil, Chairman of the Karnataka Krishi Mission, said the programme will be implemented in 1,000 villages across the state with an outlay of Rs 50 crore during 2012-13.

During the interaction, he also said that the government has to give importance to technology in agriculture and to propagate science.

“Without Bt cotton, we could not have doubled cotton production to 340 lakh bales in a decade’s time.

We have to achieve an annual production of 300 million tonnes of food grain by the next five years to feed the growing population,” Patil said.

He also noted that by improved land engineering (better soil and moisture conservation), productivity can be increased by 10 per cent.

Comparing with global standards he said, while China and Thailand achieve 6 to 9 tonnes of paddy per hectare, we still hover around 2 tonnes.

“Around 60 per cent of farmers in China use hybrid seeds unlike here, which is just 1-2 per cent,” he said.

“Uncertainty in rainfall can be removed if there is an increase in using drip irrigation, mulching techniques and building tank bunds,” Patil added.

Dr Narayana Gowda, Vice-Chancellor of University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, said importance should be placed on reducing overhead charges (transportation cost), value add processing, biofuel interventions, judicious use of water and setting up of marketing linkages.

“The general view is, people think agriculture is not profitable but animal husbandry is.

We did not empower our farmers earlier and it is time to look up,” Gowda said.

Dr A S Sidhu, Director of Indian Institute of Horticulture Research and Narendra Pasuparthy, Director of Nanda Groups were present at the event