Agriculture scientist and former vice chancellor of Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology, Udaipur, SS Chahal has urged scientists to develop stress tolerant, biofortified crop varieties.
Speaking at the 45th Research Council Meeting of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) here on Tuesday, Chahal said, “Work on development of water use efficient, heat stress tolerant, biofortified crop varieties having high nutritive content to meet the challenge of nutritional security in the state and the country. The country has moved ahead from food security and research efforts need to be focused towards high quality and high utility crops like pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits and spices to increase the income of farmers.”
Chahal on the occasion also talked about location-specific research, regretting poor seed replacement rate in Jharkhand.
“Location-specific, problem-oriented and system-responsive research is the need of the hour which should be practical, viable and acceptable for farmers of the region. The seed replacement rate in Jharkhand is hardly 15-20 per cent as compared to 60-70 per cent in Punjab and Haryana,” he said.
Chahal urged scientists to submit their insights for improvement of the National Seed Bill.
“BAU, KVKs and machinery of state government should join hands for quality seed production to make Jharkhand self-reliant on this front. Scientists should submit their insights and suggestions for improvement in the National Seed Bill available in public domain till December 8, which is likely to be tabled during the current session of Parliament,” he said.
Agriculture department special secretary Gopaljee Tiwari on the occasion urged scientists to make Jharkhand agriculture income-centric. He stressed the need for result oriented effort.
{{/usCountry}}Agriculture department special secretary Gopaljee Tiwari on the occasion urged scientists to make Jharkhand agriculture income-centric. He stressed the need for result oriented effort.
{{/usCountry}}“Make the state agriculture income-centric in place of production-centric as the average farm family income in Jharkhand is hardly 50 per cent of the national average. Agriculture research and development approaches should be socially-culturally acceptable, economically compatible and politically defendable for sustainability. KVK scientists should come forward for developing clusters of villages for large scale production of specific crops which could be the identity of the district; the state would provide all support for bringing such proposals on ground. Our effort should be result-oriented rather than procedure-oriented,” he said.
BAU V-C SC Dubey underlined the need of strengthening of seed production infrastructure in the state and framing of Jharkhand State Seed Policy.
“Since productivity of pulses in Jharkhand is higher than the national average despite low seed replacement rate, low use of fertilisers and pesticides and meagre irrigation facilities, additional areas including rice fallow need to be brought under pulses cultivation, especially during rabi,” he said.