PM's mantra: Fusion of 'back to basics,' 'march to future'

Hyderabad: The Golden Jubilee celebrations of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) kicked off in Patancheru in Hyderabad on Saturday. During the marquee event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the crops research institute's new climate change facility. The Prime Minister also launched a commemorative stamp.

Addressing the gathering, he said ICRISAT has experience of five decades of helping other nations in making agriculture easy and sustainable. "Today, I am hopeful that they will continue to deliver their expertise to strengthen India's 'Krishi' sector," he said. Stating that the focus of the government was to save farmers from climate challenge, Modi said, "Our focus is on the fusion of both back to basics and march to the future. Our focus is on more than 80% of small farmers of the country who need us the most. The Union Budget 2022-23 is focused on natural farming and digital agriculture." Appreciating the increase in palm oil cultivation in the State, Modi announced that the Government of India would provide all the support needed to the farmers who are involved in the cultivation of oil palm in Telangana. The Prime Minister said that the National Mission for self-reliance in edible oils indicates India's new approach.

The Mission aims to increase palm oil area by 6.5 lakh hectares by giving support at every level like providing cold chain storage capacity of 35 million tonnes. The Prime Minister said that the next 25 years would be important for the country as India would be celebrating 100 years of Independence and ICRISAT would be celebrating 75 years. He stressed on the need to have new goals and work for them. Lauding the role of ICRISAT and its contribution in helping agriculture in water and soil management, improvement in crop varieties, he praised their holistic approach in integrating the farmers with their markets. "Your research and technology have helped in making agriculture easy and sustainable," said Modi.

The Prime Minister wanted the world to pay special attention to climate changes. "Pro-planet People is a movement that connects every community, every individual with climate responsibility to tackle the climate challenge. This is not limited to just words but is also reflected in the actions of the Government of India," he said.

Referring to 15 Agro-Climatic Zones and six seasons of the country, the Prime Minister highlighted the depth of ancient experience of Indian agriculture.

The Prime Minister said that India was working on a dual strategy. On the one hand, a large part of the land is being brought under irrigation through water conservation and connecting of rivers. Water use efficiency through micro-irrigation is being encouraged in areas with limited irrigation, on the other hand. He said that India's goal was not just increasing food grain production. India has enough surplus food grain to run one of the world's big food security programmes. "We are focusing on food security as well as nutrition security. With this vision, we have developed many bio-fortified varieties in the last 7 years," said the Prime Minister.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said awareness should be created in such a way that millets should get a place in everyone's plate. He said that there was a need for the innovation of new varieties of crops. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy were also present.