TRG PROGRAM ON MODERN AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

                                                                                                     by DR. C. LAKSHMANAN
                                                                                                         19.3.03 11 a.m.

INAUGURATION: Points

• We are suffering from what may be called 'Lazy Agriculture'. Both from the point of view of higher incomes and employment in rural areas, we have to adopt 'Proactive Agriculture'.

• Characteristics of lazy agriculture are many. More important ones are:

• Predominance of perennial crops
• Monoculture
• Poor R&D, regarding reform techniques, seeds and varieties
• Soil & Fertiliser mismatch degradation of soil
• Wasteful use of water
• Nil or little value addition

• Remedies :

• Diversification - horticulture, floriculture
• Multiple cropping
• Focussed R&D for seeds/varieties
• Applications of nutrients on the basis of detailed soil analysis.
• Improved marketing including exports and Agroprocessing

• Two legs

• High yielding modern practices
• High quality organic farming

• Both will yield higher incomes - the first through economy in use of resources and high productivity, the second through higher unit prices

• Dr. Lakshmanan, who hails from Kollam and has worked for four decades in California is in recent years advising Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and other States. His emphasis is on Soil analysis and appropriate supply of required nutrients through improved methods of land preparation and water use. His knowledge, advice and assistance will be most useful in changing over agriculture into dynamic, economic and high productivity one.

V.RAMACHANDRAN     
VICE-CHAIRMAN       
STATE PLANNING BOARD