SRINAGAR, Sept 12: Governor N N Vohra today said there is a need for evolving agro-climatic zone-wise viable approaches for sustainable growth of agriculture and allied sectors in the State which are vital contributors to the economy.
“We need to evolve agro-climatic zone-wise viable approaches for securing the objective of sustainable growth of agriculture, particularly for speedily improving rural livelihood security,” Vohra said addressing the Valedictory Session of the three-day 21st Annual Conference of Agricultural Economics Research Association, India here.
The conference with a theme of “Sustainable Agricultural Growth for Improving Rural Livelihood” was hosted by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Kashmir.
Referring to the adverse impact of the emerging challenges of global warming and climate change on agriculture and its allied sectors, the Governor who is chancellor of the SKUAST-Kashmir, urged the agri-scientists and agri-economists to come up with appropriate approaches for effectively mitigating these concerns and ensuring sustainable growth.
“Time is running out and we can not brook any delay in evolving the required technologies, methodologies, cropping patterns, new seeds and plant materials and whatever else is required to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change and global warming on agriculture and its allied sectors,” he said.
In this context, Vohra called for pilot projects being launched on time bound basis to establish area and crop specific demonstration plots of vegetables, cereals, pulses and oilseeds to enlarge the farmers’ awareness about improved agri-techniques and technologies and at the same time assessing the efficacy of these approaches.
He underscored the crucial importance of ensuring most effective coordination among the agricultural universities and each of the various extension agencies of the Government for pooling expertise and resources for securing sustained growth of agriculture and its allied sectors.
Referring to the various recommendations of the Conference, the Governor said if success is to be achieved all the recommended approaches would need to be put into modules and ways and means found to implement them within a given time frame.
The Governor complimented the SKUAST-Kashmir for hosting the Conference on a highly relevant theme in which eminent agri-scientists and agri-economists from within the State and across the country were able to meet and hold wide ranging deliberations. (AGENCIES)