GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 19th Oct. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare held the National Conference on Agriculture for the Rabi Campaign 2024 at the NASC Complex, aiming to review crop performance and set targets for the upcoming season. Union Minister of Agriculture, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, inaugurated the event, emphasizing the government’s commitment to achieving a national food grain production target of 341.55 million tonnes for the 2024-25 season.
Chouhan stressed the importance of transitioning towards organic and natural farming practices to enhance productivity while reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers. He mentioned a committee has been established to lower transportation costs, bridging the gap between procurement and market prices. “States, in collaboration with the Centre, must work to adapt production strategies based on agro-climatic conditions to establish India as the world’s largest food basket,” he asserted.
During the conference, Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Ramnath Thakur, urged immediate actions to assist farmers impacted by floods and cyclones, while highlighting the necessity of evaluating the quality of agricultural inputs in the market.
Minister of State, Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, expressed gratitude towards research organizations for their ongoing efforts to achieve self-reliance in pulse and oilseed production.
The event featured esteemed panelists from various state governments, who engaged in discussions on enhancing productivity in oilseeds and pulses, digital platforms like the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS), and initiatives under the Digital Agriculture Mission, including the Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory (SATHI) portal.
A key focus of the discussions was the government’s goal to increase oilseed production from 39.2 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2022-23 to 69.7 MMT by 2030-31. This initiative includes expanding the area under cultivation from 29 million hectares to 33 million hectares, and improving yields from 1353 kg/ha to 2112 kg/ha.
The conference also highlighted recent Agri-Tech initiatives aimed at ensuring the quality of agricultural inputs and enhancing pest management strategies. The NPSS will provide a comprehensive approach to managing pest infestations, while the Integrated Pesticide Management System (IPMS) will address issues related to pesticide supply and misbranding.
In the session on Digital Agriculture, panelists discussed the recently approved Digital Agriculture Mission, which aims to create a farmer-centric ecosystem through integrated registries and advisory services.
Addressing the need for quality planting materials, Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary of Agriculture, instructed states to complete the farmer registry by March 31, 2025, to facilitate access to the PM-KISAN scheme. He also urged for better management of pesticides and the circulation of quality agricultural inputs.
The conference concluded with a session where state representatives raised issues regarding agriculture, emphasizing the necessity of a holistic approach, mechanization for oilseeds and pulses, and the importance of quality seeds. The involvement of the private sector in agricultural research and improvements in pest management were also discussed.
With participation from various ministries, state government representatives, and other stakeholders, the conference fostered a comprehensive dialogue aimed at developing actionable strategies for the upcoming rabi season.
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