We should aim at generating sustainable income for farmers, says Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar as he inaugurates CII Agro Tech in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, November 4

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Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the CII Agrotech, here on Friday.

Addressing the delegates, he said, “The theme for this year’s edition – ‘Digital Transformation for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security’ is apt.

“Sustainability and food security go hand in hand. There cannot be long-term food security without sustainable agriculture practices. This is important not just for a country such as ours but also for the vast majority of humanity. For us, agriculture is more than just a profession. It is a tradition and a way of life.

“Agriculture is vital for our economy. It directly employs more than one-third of our population, contributes nearly one fifth to our GDP,

ensures food security of 1.4 billion people and supplies raw material to our industries. “

With contribution of our visionary policymakers, ingenious scientific minds and above all, our farmers, India has become the largest producer of millets, pulses, milk and jute in the world and the second-largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, vegetables, fruits and cotton.

“During the ongoing ‘Amrit Kaal’, we have to adapt our agriculture according to new requirements and new challenges. Focus must shift from ‘food security’ to ‘nutrition security’.

“Our ultimate aim should be to generate sustainable incomes for our farmers. This will reduce poverty and enhance prosperity for our ‘annadatas’. We need to focus on not just on food production but also on food processing and value addition. This will go a long way in transforming Indian agriculture in the 21st century.

“I apeal to our farmers to think out of the box. It is important for all of us, including the government agencies, scientists, educators, farmers and entrepreneurs to come up with sustainable solutions to problems faced by our farmers.”