Modi coins new farm mantra: Per drop, more crop

PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked agriculture scientists to work towards the twin mantra of 'kam zameen, kam samay, zyaada upaj' (less land, less time and more crop) and 'per drop more crop' so that income of farmers can improve and India's food security can be ensured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday asked agriculture scientists to work towards the twin mantra of “kam zameen, kam samay, zyaada upaj (less land, less time, more crop)” and “per drop, more crop” so that farm income could improve and India become food-secure.

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“We have to prove two points — one, our farmers are capable of feeding the country and the world, and two, agriculture can fill the pockets of our farmers,” Modi said at the foundation day of the Indian Council for Agriculture Research. He remarked that if farming didn’t generate enough income, it would be a challenge to meet the targets for the sector.

Pitching for greater use of research to boost farming — giving it the slogan ‘lab-to-land’ — the PM asked scientists to make their research easily understandable to farmers so the latter aren’t afraid to use new products.

He asked scientists to ensure increased crop yield at a faster pace without compromising on quality. He also said “per drop, more crop” should be their mission statement, noting that India is still dependent on import of edible oil and pulses despite being an agrarian economy.