Modi wants to take tech from 'lab to farmland'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged scientists to take technology to farms for raising crop productivity at a time when the government is being attacked for surging prices of some essential commodities.

Pitching for greater use of research for boosting the agriculture sector, Modi gave the slogan "lab to land", saying that farmers should be able to enhance production to increase their income and feed the country as well as the world.

"We have to prove two points. One is our farmers are capable of feeding the whole country and world, and second, agriculture is capable of filling the pockets of our farmers," said Modi while addressing the 86th foundation day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

He called upon all agriculture universities and colleges in the country - the heads of many of which participated in the function - to immediately prepare a data bank of progressive farmers in their adjoining areas and also digitise their research papers and thesis.

"We should target to digitise and compile all the research being done and already completed in agriculture universities," Modi said.