Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai on Monday said that it is time to come out with a plan for climate-based integrated agriculture development.
Bommai was speaking at the inaugural event in Bengaluru.
He said, "Karnataka has 10 Agro-climatic zones which enable the state to grow one or the other crop round the year. We should draw up plans for developing climate-based integrated agriculture. The initiative is being taken to raise farmers' income by giving a boost for secondary farm-related activities like dairy farming and animal husbandry."
"The Krishik Samaj has contributed in its own way for agriculture development. The government has implemented many novel schemes formulated by the Samaj for farmers' welfare. The Samaj should come out with programmes that would provide solutions for new challenges being faced by farmers related to their need for good seeds, fertilizers, market facilities and quality of soil", Bommai said.
He stressed the need for greater emphasis on post-harvest facilities like godowns, cold storage facilities, market linkages and online markets to ensure better prices for farmers' produce. The state government would provide all possible help for the Samaj in this regard, he said.
"The state government has decided to establish a Secondary Agriculture Directorate to raise the income of farmers. Natural farming would get a boost in the next budget with a substantial hike in the allocation of funds. A 1 per cent growth in the farm sector would trigger a 4 per cent growth in the industrial sector and 10 per cent growth in the services sector. So, growth in the agriculture sector is complementary for economic growth of the state", Bommai said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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