`Organic Farming’ to usher `Ever-Green Revolution’ in country: Prof Swaminathan

By Punjabnewswire4u

AMRITSAR, APRIL 4

 Laying stress on educating farmers to make right use of fertilizers and chemicals, Rajya Sabha MP and an acclaimed scientist, Prof.MS Swaminathan today said the wave of `organic farming’ will usher in the `ever-green revolution’ in country. He said environment issues confronting agriculture were serious but adopting the organic and controlled-fertilizers-use would end the woes.

 Prof.Swaminathan was speaking at Khalsa College Amritsar (KCA) and stressed that focus cannot be merely on agriculture growth but we must ensure economic well-being of farmers too. Former head of National Commission on Farmers and Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), Prof Swamnathan also appealed `younger generation’ to adopt agriculture as avocation. ``The country needs young farmers, men and women both. They are more ready to adopt new technology and modern methods of farming’’, said he.

 Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) honourary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, finance secretary, Gunbir Singh and Officiating Principal Dr.JS Bal earlier welcomed Prof.Swaminathan. He was accompanied by Punjab Farmers Commission head Dr.GS Kalkat and Agriculture Scientist Dr.VP Singh. Prof. Swaminathan when asked about Punjab’s declining agriculture growth, said the production is up in Punjab but other issues need attention.

 ``There are environmental and marketing issues confronting Punjab’s agriculture today. There are issues of farmers’ debts and need for diversification and crop rotation’’, he said adding that more and more farmers must adopt organic farming and the government must help the farming community to get rid of the challenges of marketing. He however said Punjab had been and would always be the leader in grain production and the hard working farmers from here will continue feeding the country.

 Dr.GS Kalkat cited cultural and behavioural patterns confronting farmers. He said farmers taking loans to dig tube wells and buying machinery that may not pay adequate dividends have added to the problems of indebtedness. He said the focus had always been on Agriculture but the time has come when we should emphasis on economic prosperity of farmers also.

 Chhina appreciated the contributions of Prof.Swaminathan to the Green Revolution. He said Punjab was witnessing the 50thanniversary of `wheat revolution’ in 1963, which led to the Green Revolution, thus it is the time to make re-think on widespread use of chemicals in farming, which has affected the lands and waters of Punjab badly. In his vote of thanks, Gunbir Singh said that they were happy to have top most agriculture scientists at the college and their valuable speeches have enriched the faculty and students immensely through the specialized information. Others present included Dr.VK Singh, faculty and students in large number.