MARGAO
The Goyche Fudle Pilge Khatir (GFPK) has called for the allocation of at least six percent of the budget for the agricultural sector and enabling Goan NRIs to invest in agricultural business in Goa to encourage farming activities.
Submitting a host of suggestions to Agriculture officers Sheriff Furtado and Rajesh Desai, the GFPK has further called for creating a database of agricultural land and crops accessible to the public using drone technology.
Other suggestions include dividing Goa's geographical area into three major zones based on agro-ecology: Western Ghat upland hills zone, midland/flatland zone, and the coastal sand dune zone. Adopting different farming practices in these three zones to enhance agricultural productivity and farmers' welfare.
Addressing the severe erosion in the upland mining areas, which causes siltation of major dams and rivers.
Restoring agricultural land damaged by mining by fixing responsibility on mining companies.
Making dairy enterprises more attractive by providing incentives, fodder on communidade lands, grazing grounds, and developing mixed farming units to make agriculture a business venture.
Setting up marketing facilities for local farmers at the village level.
Providing cold storage facilities at the district level for agricultural produce.
Setting up fast-track courts to clear all cases of tenancy, enabling farmers to avail government schemes and bank loans to develop farms.
Giving fallow lands to registered farmers' clubs or associations to cultivate with a suitable lease agreement.
