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The Governor of Goa, P. S. Sreedharan Pillai in the presence of Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devrath launched the project of natural farming organized by the Directorate of Agriculture at Raj Bhavan Donapaula today.
Speaking on the occasion, Pillai said that agriculture is the fundamental source of prosperity. "We have an ancient tradition of natural farming and stressed the need to continue with it in a big way as it is conducive for the environment and better human living. The original breed of cow Shwet Kapila has been reared at Raj Bhavan Gaushala as a token of our ancient tradition," Pillai said. Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devrath also addressed the event and highlighted the importance of natural farming. "Natural farming results in saving the environment, and soil and arresting contamination of water. Natural food leads to a healthy life apart from keeping our land safe, he said and underscored the need for natural farming as it is the best alternative for chemical and organic farming. Use of chemical fertilizers will destroy fertility its natural carbon, nitrogen level of the land, etc.," he added urging the farmers to undertake natural farming. Appealing to people to cooperate with the Government by undertaking farming on a large scale to make Goa self-reliant, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, "The Government intends to ensure that central Government and State Government schemes reach to needy people in the State to achieve the goal of self-reliant." Minister for Agriculture Ravi Naik said, "Agriculture is our age-old profession that includes the production of paddy, cashew, coconut, vegetables etc. The different fruits production, areca nut, etc. Our ancestors have professed agriculture from the past, we have to preserve our farmlands for posterity." He exhorted the youth to acquire education but turn towards agriculture as well. Minister for Animal Husbandry Nilkanth Halarnkar reiterated Government's endeavour to increase milk production in Goa and said, "Government has implemented various schemes to encourage dairy farming in the State. Presently milk production is not sufficient because of more demand." Some farmers who undertook innovative and outstanding work in the field of agriculture were awarded. Minister for Social Welfare Subhash Faldesai, Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, and Director Agriculture Nevil Afonso were among the others who attended the function. (ANI)
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