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Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that agricultural universities play a vital role in increasing food production to cater to the needs of a growing population.
The Karnataka Chief Minister was speaking at the inauguration programme of the new building of Baking Technology and Value Addition Institute and DAESI Sammelana organized by the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. The Chief Minister further said that our country has achieved self-reliance in food production after the Green Revolution and that there was dependency before that. "Renowned agriculturist Swaminathan who has passed away recently had contributed a lot to the green revolution. The study and research of agricultural universities should be increased to become qualitative and to boost food production and become qualitative," he said further. The Chief Minister also said, "Our state has the largest amount of dry agricultural land and due to climate change, it is continuously suffering from excessive rains and droughts. It is for this reason that the help of agricultural experts and technicians is essential for our farmers." The Karnataka CM also said that agricultural universities should do more research and said, "Research findings should reach the farmers effectively. Extensive studies and research should be done about the kind of crops that can be grown in less rain and less water and ways to prevent crop damage due to extreme weather conditions should reach the farmers." The CM stated that it is important to be aware of the laboratory discoveries that have affected agricultural land as well as the demands and experiences of that area. "Sustainable agriculture is only then conceivable. If agricultural institutions embrace their scientific research based on the Lab to Land-Land to Lab principle, this will be made practicable," he said. The CM further instructed to check whether the new varieties developed by agricultural universities have reached the farmers and also asked what is the use of developing new breeds if it is not reached the farmers. He also assured that the government will give full cooperation to the research-study and extension programmes. This program was jointly organized by Agriculture University, the National Agricultural Extension Institute and the Department of Agriculture which was presided over by MLA and Revenue Minister Krishnabyre Gowda. Agriculture Minister N. Chaluvarayaswamy, MLA Sharath Bachegowda, Chancellor of Agriculture University Dr SV Suresh and others were present. (ANI)
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