Farmer’s Day, youth urged to take up farming

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 24, 2016: Speaking after inaugurating Farmer’s Day and training for farmers here on Dec 23, Friday,  Zilla Panchayat president Dinaker Babu said farmers should be offered all round support by instilling confidence; the occassion was organised by zilla panchayat and district Agriculture department. President Babu said although farmers are considered to be the backbone of Indian economy, the present situation is sickening. Farmers have been ending their lives by committing suicide and the increasing suicides have left the farming scenario in the country highly unpredictable. He urged youths to take up farming instead of migrating to the urban areas in search of employment.

Taluk panchayat president Nalini Bhaskar Rao said modernisation has massively affected agriculture. She said decreasing agriculture activities in the country have hindered the progress in the country. She said agriculture-related activities like increasing fertility of the land and recharging the water bodies are essential. Global warming and anti-environmental activities have resulted in soil loosing its fertility, she added.

Puroshottham P K, director of Sri Kshetra Dharmsthala Rural Development Programme (SKDRDP), Udupi, lamented that Farmer’s Day does not serve any cause unless it is celebrated in a meaningful way by encouraging the farmers. The number of farmers engaged in cultivation has been decreasing, as farmers’ children have been migrating towards cities. The income from cultivation is minimal and several problems are encountered by the farmers in the process of cultivation. He said the unavailability of the workers and the high salary to be paid for the farm workers has also hindered the agriculture activities in the country.

Stressing on incorporating mechanised farming, Puroshottham said mechanisation has become essential. However, given that in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, farmers have been finding it hard to use tools for cultivation due to the small land holdings. He said in Udupi district, 350 families have opted farming under Hadilu Bhoomi Abhivriddhi Yojana. They have been cultivating one to two and a half acres of land. He also emphasised on organic farming.  Farmers, who could get good yields per hectare of land at district and taluk level, were felicitated on the occasion, a good attendance was visible.