Policy should be designed to address needs of poorest of poor

Country'g agriculture policy and technology should be designed to address the needs of the poorest of the poor, T Ramasami former secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, said today.
"Achieving production targets alone would not do, we will have to take into account the livelihood of the peasants and the demand management," Ramasami said while speaking at the two-day National seminar on 500 MT-2025, Doubling food output in 10 years, here.
The seminar was organised by Department of Agricultural Research, ICAR in association with Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, State Planning Commission and Agriculture Consultancy Management Foundation.
Stating that agricultural production should be an evolutionary model and not a revolutionary one, he said any intensive production system has the danger of extensive use of land and material "we have for long remained without much focus on intensive production."

While it is possible to double food production in 10 years, we should tread the path carefully and take a cautious approach,+ he pointed out.
The emphasis is on doubling food production. But how can this be achieved without enhancing water productivity, he asked and said that the country has not done much towards increasing water productivity.
Dr K Ramasamy, Vice Chancellor of the University stressed the importance on the need to retain youngsters in agriculture and make farming remunerative.