We cannot afford to rest on laurels of First Green Revolution: Pratibha Patil

Calling for sustaining the momentum generated by the success of the first Green Revolution of the country, President Pratibha Patil today said the country could not afford to rest on the laurels it had received after the revolution.

New Delhi, Aug 6 : Calling for sustaining the momentum generated by the success of the first Green Revolution of the country, President Pratibha Patil today said the country could not afford to rest on the laurels it had received after the revolution.

"The success story of the First Green Revolution has run its course. We cannot afford to rest on our laurels," Patil said while delivering an address at the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Taking her cue from the Economic Survey 2006-07, she said: "The structural weaknesses of the agriculture sector include low levels of public investment, exhaustion of the yield potential of new high yielding varieties of wheat and rice, unbalanced fertilizer use, low seeds replacement rate and low yield per unit area across almost all crops."

Patil further said that the reasons for low agri-production are the diminishing size of land holdings, degradation in land quality and soil health due to improper nutrient application, the looming threats of global warming and climate change, and emergence of new pests and diseases.

Weak linkages between research and extension, limited credit access at reasonable rates of interest, non-remunerative prices, inadequate market access, poor rural infrastructure and insufficient post-harvest infrastructure such as warehousing, cold chains, and agro-processing facilities are other features plaguing our agricultural production environment, she added.

"Agriculture has to remain centre-stage in our nation's economic thinking, making it attractive and rewarding," Patil said.

Commenting on the solution to overcome the agrarian crisis, she said, "Precision farming should be developed as a special thrust area wherein a farmer adjusts farm practices to match the variation of soil and terrain of his plot rather than follow the one size, fits all approach."

She also emphasised the need for a climate literacy programme to train local level climate managers to guide farmers.

"There is a need for a climate literacy programme and for the training of local level climate managers to guide farmers on the methods of maximising the benefits of a good monsoon and minimising the hazards of a poor monsoon," Patil said.

On yield gap existing in all states, she said that yield gaps have to bridged and for this there has to be localised strategies.

"Agricultural revival includes bridging the substantial yield gaps existing in all States. This requires localised, State-specific strategies based on local agro-climatic conditions and constraints," Patil said.

ANI