Haryana to focus on new forms of agriculture: Minister

Faced with new challenges in the farm sector, the Haryana government will prepare farmers for concepts like climate-smart agriculture, organic farming and micro irrigation.
The 2nd Agri-leadership Summit being organised at Surajkund from March 18-20 would provide a platform to focus on issues like doubling of farmers' income, soil health, aquaculture and agro industries, Haryana Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister O P Dhankar said here today.
He emphasised the need to have an effective chain right from cultivation to packing, branding and marketing. Giving an example, he said in the sale of potato chips, the farmer is ignored whereas being the grower of the crop, he should be an important factor in this chain.

The state government is following the concept of peri-urban agriculture, as he had seen in Beijing, where farmers' output meets the needs of adjoining cities.
"Agricultural products, being perishable, have a short life. Therefore, the farmers must cultivate need based crops in areas adjoining cities. Emphasis is being laid on bringing 25 per cent of the cultivable area under horticulture. Apart from a modern vegetable mandi, a flower mandi is also being developed," he added.
The minister said in milk production, Haryana is next to Gujarat and Punjab. "But as Haryana has potential to do better, it can excel in this field by promoting dairy farming as a profession and adopting some new means," he said.

Referring to organic farming, he cited the example of Sikkim which is now an 'Organic State' and has been honoured by the Prime Minister.

Dhankar said the 400 gaushalas in Haryana can contribute towards promotion of organic farming.
The concept of climate-smart agriculture or risk agriculture has already been adopted in some countries to meet the challenge posed by climate change. For instance, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is an initiative to meet such challenges, he added.
To a question, he said the state government is keen to set up a processing unit for horticulture crops and a mandi of frozen products to facilitate the sale of agri products in off season.