PANAJI
The draft agricultural policy, formulated 11 years ago by a 40-member committee led by Advocate Narendra Sawaikar, remains a forgotten file even as the document highlighted essential aspects to benefit farmers if it got approval and was implemented.
After Sawaikar’s election to the Lok Sabha seat in South Goa and his resignation, the committee’s tenure came to an end and the document remained a mere draft.
The draft policy primarily aimed to alleviate the hardships faced by farmers by opening up abundant opportunities, with a strong emphasis on fostering maximum growth in the farming sector. It also aimed to support the families of farmers who wished for their children to pursue professions other than farming. However, this approach was different from the government’s current focus, which encourages youth to take up farming to make it a profitable business.
However, the earlier draft focused on diversifying agriculture to convert it into commercially viable while also creating additional job prospects and increasing foreign exchange earnings through exports. Crucial topics covered in the draft included agricultural education, extension and research, infrastructure development, cropping patterns, horticulture, agricultural credit, land reforms, youth involvement in agriculture, Khazan lands, etc.
The draft further highlighted the constraints of available cultivated and cultivable land within the State and as such, it recommended making efforts to prioritise enhancing productivity in existing areas and bringing unused land into cultivation. It also addressed the issue of farmers’ security in the event of falling agricultural crop prices.
The former chairman of the committee had stated the document underscored the importance of a comprehensive agricultural policy that would benefit farmers and strive for self-sufficiency in food grains, vegetables, flowers, and other agricultural products.
The committee, however, lamented the lack of proper coordination among government departments in the farming sector, which led to farmers missing out on the full benefits of various schemes. Quite a few farmers had reacted to the draft seeking urgent agriculture policy to safeguard the rapidly declining farming sector and implementing the draft that was being delayed.
