Agri Min urges SAARC nations to join hands for welfare of farmers

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Thursday called on SAARC nations to work together for the betterment of agriculture and farmers. 

Addressing the third meeting of SAARC agriculture ministers in Dhaka, Singh said the governments of SAARC countries are keen on improving the economic and social status of agriculture. 

“In this region, farmers are fighting against economic disparity and instability,” he said, adding that countries can help each other to strengthen farmers, their livelihood and environmental balance.

For this, he said, it would be appropriate to initiate stable research and development work in the agricultural sector through mutual cooperation. Singh said agriculture in India is facing several challenges since the Green Revolution in the 1960s, which led to an increase in productivity. “These challenges are loss of bio-elements in soil, lack of nutrients in soil, weeds, increment in diseases and pests, sodium absorption in soil, degradation of groundwater level etc,” Singh said.

He said these not only affect productivity but also have an adverse impact on climate. “Climate change is a real episode and most likely it can inflict tremendous losses in a number of cases. South Asia is one of the most sensitive regions in the world in terms of natural calamities,” he said.