Adopt diversification in agriculture: ICAR

Indian Council of Agricultural Research today urged Punjab's farmers to adopt diversification in agriculture, saying that the state needed to conserve its soil and water.
"After implementation of Food Security Act in the nation, the country is once again looking towards Punjab but the state needs to conserve its soil and water alongwith adopting diversification in agriculture," ICAR Director General S Ayyappan said while addressing farmers in an agriculture summit here.
Stressing on making farming a profitable venture, Ayyappan said the farmers should adopt diversification and venture into agro processing thereby setting up for themselves a self sustaining profitable agro model.

He also gave tips on reduction in input costs and subsequent increase in profit and suggested that farmers should prepare a water budget for optimal use of water resources.
He also stressed on reducing lending rates on agriculture machinery to 5 per cent.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor of Punjab Agriculture University B S Dhillon said that the nation should use Punjab as a 'National Laboratory' to develop strategies and technologies for sustainable agriculture.

He sought higher financial support from the Centre for agriculture, expansion and strengthening of Research and design and enhanced subsidies to promote natural resource management for a secured future.

Dhillon also stressed the need to create awareness among citizens about their responsibility in conservation of natural resources.
"Agro Biotechnologists would have to focus on developing pest and disease resistant crops with proper weed management, drought tolerance having reduced demand of fertilizer, keeping in view the increased climatic change in the World," said Thomas Lumpkin, who is Director General of CIMMYT, an International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico.