New Delhi: Outlining a seven point strategy for realising the second Green Revolution, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the benefits of research must reach farmers for improving yield and enhancing production.
Speaking at the International Conference on Agriculture for Food, Nutritional Security and Rural Growth, the PM expressed concern over bureaucratic hurdles that come in the way of revitalising the extension services in the agriculture sector.
The PM said there had to be an improvement in soil health, water conservation, credit delivery system and application of science to animal husbandry.
The PM also gave away an award to eminent agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of B P Pal, who played a major role in the creation of the Indian Agriculture Research Institute.
The PM said there had to be a sharper focus on strategic research in plant technology though India's track record in areas such as bio-technology had been impressive and held promise of further development.
He said the scientists must work with government and non-government organisations, local bodies and corporates to enable farmers to benefit out of technological and scientific advancement in the field.
The PM said Indian agriculture needed new investments and a new wave of entrepreneurship. "While the agriculture credit system had to respond to the needs of the farmers, greater public-private partnership is required to help revitalise the public institutions and programmes," he said.
On the contributions of Pal and Swaminathan to Indian agriculture, the PM said scientists like them had laid the foundations of the country's first Green Revolution.
On afforestation measures, the PM said there was a need for increased application of science and modern technology in forest conservation and management,environmental protection, water conservation and utilisation of herbs and plants.
Speaking at the conference, Swaminathan called for a code of conduct for encouraging "private-private" partnership. He said agriculture was the largest private sector in the country involving about 70 crore people.
Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said the government was planning to allow genetically modified crops for growing potatoes and some other crops.
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