AGROINFORMATICS : 2019

Wednesday 25 September 2019

INDIA'S BUDGET FOR AGRICUTURE

" THAT AGRICULTURE IS GASPING FOR BREATH IS A TRUISM " . This sector employs about half the workforce but contributes to the economy just 17 - 18 per cent of the GDP . Drastic situations demand drastic measures.

The farmer needs to be respected as an entrepreneur and freed from the shackles of draconian laws like the APMC acts and the essential services Act. on the face of it , the government seems to be extremely keen to improve the situation. it has pledged to double the income of farmers by 2022.

it is reportedly working on an assortment of schemes an programs including a mobile app , a fund for pisiculture and the use of big data , artificial intelligence and block chain technology .

the government wants to ensure that the rural India gets investment , public as well as private , to the tune of Rs. 25 lakh crore hectares of land under micro irrigation.

so far, so good . schemes , programs, special fund , technology , innovation , new methods - all of them will surely help . but the critical issue remains the same . the farm sector ought to be liberalized for once and all. populist measures like farm loan waivers have to be done away with .

the Niti Ayog , which is headed by the prime minister , last year released ' strategy for New India @75 ' which said , " in agriculture , emphasis must shift to converting farmers to 'Agri preneurs ' by further expanding e - national Agriculture markets ( e -Nams ) and replacing the agriculture produce and livestock Marketing Act . ( APLM )

The creation of a unified national market , a freer export regime and abolition of the essential commodities act are essential for boosting agricultural growth. since agriculture provides the backward linkage to Agro - based industries and services, it has to be viewed historically as a seamless farm to fork value chain , comprising farming , wholesaling , ware housing , logistics , processing ,and retailing including exports.

in October 2016 , the Niti Ayog had identified three key areas for reform and begun persuading states to undertake the reforms - agricultural reforms , market reforms , land lease reforms , and reforms related to forestry on private land . it noted that while marketing is extremely crucial , " agricultural development in India has entirely ignored the potential of marketing and has continued to follow its old trajectory . productivity in some states is regrettably low and there is a vast disconnection between prices received by farmers and the prices paid by customers. "

Technology can help but can't galvanize the farm sector on its own stream. Technology can be a force multiplier but not a substitute for reforms.

source - Newspaper

Information collection & Edited by - Sameer Mohapatro - An Agriculturist

M.S SWAMINATHAN SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE , CUTM , PARALAKHEMUNDI , ODISHA , INDIA

Monday 8 April 2019

FARMER TO BUSINESS MAN

Everyday during my travel on the National Highway , i come across many Sabji Mandis, Wholesale shops where i find FARMERS standing with their products (vegetables ) of hard work they have done in the particular ongoing season. I always wonder if they are Human beings or stones , many farmers stand barefoot on the hot tar roads or verandas of the shops and mandis. Neither the scotching heat of summer nor the chilly winter or the furious cyclones affect them. They stand there to fill the stomachs and hearts of their family though they are aware of being cheated by the shopkeepers. For me this everyday sight of pain was intolerable and irresistible but i could not do anything.

BUT , Its since the last 10 days i am more excited to bike up through this highway everyday because the Scenario has completely changed now. It gave me immense pleasure to see such a sudden change in the scenario. I find no queues at the mandis or wholesale shops.

Many of the farmers are now selling their own sown vegetables sitting under the shade of trees and enjoying the cool breeze. i am glad to see them becoming self dependent . Finally they have sorted out a clever idea of selling their products and earning their living. They don't need to walk kilo meters to sell their vegetables. such a OFF season of agriculture , scarcity of water could not stop them from selling their vegetables.

I think that this is the most clever way that the farmers have found to stay happy and earn their living.

They sell all their products as the highway has a rush of passengers everyday.

when i approached the farmers and talked with them about their experience now, they were indeed very happy that they have now found a way to stay happy the whole year.

my message to everyone is - PLEASE DON'T BARGAIN , because farmers melt their blood to feed the society irrespective and unpredictable of their earnings.

Here i have attached a photo to beautify 💓my post -

THESE FARMERS RESPECT YOU MORE THAN THE SERVER OF A RESTAURANT.💓

THANK YOU for Reading.

Written & Edited by - SAMEER MAHAPATRO ( BLOG ADMIN )

Thursday 17 January 2019

PROJECT ATAL , CENTURION UNIVERSITY , ODISHA ~ BY SAMEER MAHAPATRO

Farmers are considered to be the backbone of our country. They serve the entire Nation with their crop productions . Food to serve the crores of Indians has never declined in terms of production or variety. But today when we visit to the rural areas of India we come to see that farmers cry for clearing their crop loans , they express their sorrow of crop losses and since a few years we are also seeing many suicides of farmers. So despite of many schemes being initiated by many governments , the farmers are still sufferers.

Now I am going to introduce about that awesome Project which is definitely going to bring changes in the Knowledge, Attitude and Skill of farmers of our country.

M S SWAMINATHAN SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE AT CENTURION UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (ODISHA)has been lucky to grab such a Great project on the year 2018. The private sector university (CUTM) has named the project as “PROJECT ATAL” as this was a dream project of our former Prime Minister late Shri Atal Bihari Vajapayee.

To functionise this project in the best way , the university has decentralized the management of the project to various NGO’s in every blocks of Odisha. It has appointed many Certified Trainers in every village of Odisha and has tagged the trainers as “KRISHI UDYOG SAHAYAK” . this project aims to train around 1 Lakh farmers in the state about various job roles.

The Training being imparted to the farmers includes job roles like –

Mushroom grower

Paddy grower

Floriculture

Poultry farming

Dairy farming

Chilli cultivation

Tuber crop cultivation

Solanaceous crop cultivation

Citrus fruit grower

Mango grower

Tractor operator

Harvesting machine operator

Agriculture machinery operator

Organic grower

Vermicompost production

As training to farmers on these job roles needs agriculture professional people to impart training so the university has provided opportunity to its certified and professional Agriculture students.

So students involved in this Project and training work have been showing great dedication and efforts towards the smooth running of the work.

OUTCOME :

The feedback collected from each and every farmer from every training center is showing the impact of this project and training in their lives. Change in the skill of the farmers has been noticed in many farmers after the successful training programmes.

So this can be regarded as the GOLDEN PROJECT for the farmers as it is improving the knowledge and skill in the farmers and increasing their enthusiasm and participation in learning something new and advanced.

HERE I HAVE ATTACHED SOME PHOTOS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME CONDUCTED REGULARLY ALL OVER ODISHA

CREATED & EDITED BY - SAMEER MAHAPATRO

PICTURES UPLOADED BY - SAMEER MAHAPATRO