MARGAO
The Goyche Fudle Pilgi Khatir (GFPK) has asserted that the agriculture policy for Goa should be land-, farmer- and crop-centric, demanding that the draft policy clearly establish its vision for the primary components facing multiple challenges.
Submitting a host of suggestions to Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik for incorporation in the draft Agriculture Policy after consultations with stakeholders, the NGO has feared that if the policy is not centered on land, farmer and crop, the policy as a whole will be handicapped. All the three areas are basic and need collective attention or it can impact the planning in individual areas, the NGO stated.
While stressing on the urgent need to formulate a land use policy, the NGO said, “with Climate Change crisis, coastal states like Goa needs a holistic vision on its land, water, soil, environmental issues, etc. However, with a lot of changes attempted in the Regional Plans and ODP’s of various Planning areas, it is noted that land in Goa is turning fast into a commercial commodity and in such a scenario agricultural land faces a lot of real estate and related commercial challenges.”
It added that an agriculture policy for the State can be more realistic only if it is plugged into a holistic land use policy.
