 Early Times Repot
Jammu, Nov 19: Dr. Nirmal Singh, Speaker J & K State Legislative Assembly inaugurated the National Seminar, "Smart Technologies to Boost Farm Profitability and Socio-Economic Status of Rural India" on 19.11.2018 at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology-Jammu (SKUAST-J).
Dr. Nirmal Singh in his inaugural address, to 300 plus delegates from across the country, laid emphasis on shifting focus from "agricultural centric" to "agriculturist centric" approach for augmenting the low levels of farm income from around 75,000 per year per farm household. He advised agricultural scientists and extension workers for working in a mission mode and policy makers for providing other economic opportunities to smallholder farmers for sustainable livelihood. Dr. N. S. Rathore, Deputy Director General (Education), Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), New Delhi lamented the fact that on an average 2090 farmers are leaving farming every day. He said, "this is a serious issue and needs immediate redressal". For achieving sustainable profitability in farming the policy makers, researcher and extension agencies should lay more emphasis on smart technologies which should be specific to an area, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound (SMART). Dr. P. K. Sharma, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu welcomed all the dignitaries and delegates.
He said that in the globalization and digital age era we should manage the information, use decision support system for precision farming and automation to increase input use efficiency which is low in India, and more so in the Jammu & Kashmir State. |
