MARGAO
Farmers from Chinchinim on Wednesday launched a green initiative as they embarked on a mission to bring around 170 hectares of fallow agricultural fields under paddy cultivation.
After around a dozen tractors levelled the fields, a mechanical transplanter driven by Fr George Quadros of Don Bosco Society, went about transplanting paddy in the fields in the presence of local Velim MLA Cruz Silva, president of Chinchinim Comunidade Agnelo Furtado, Zonal Agricultural Officer Sheriff Furtado, besides farmers and local villagers.
An initiative of the Comunidade President Agnelo Furtado, the Comunidade has gone about bringing 170 hectares of fallow fields under cultivation. Furtado has thanked the MLA as well as the Zonal agriculture officials for their support and encouragement to the initiative.
Zonal Agricultural Officer Sheriff Furtado pointed out that the mechanical transplanter will transplant paddy on land admeasuring 70,000 square metres initially.
The Velim MLA told the media that Chinchinim farmers from Velim constituency have spearheaded the revolution by initiating community farming.
He said the agricultural land has been laying fallow for several years, adding that farmers from Chinchinim have decided to start farming this year. “The Agriculture Department has provided us with all the necessary machines despite the fact that they do not have many machines at their disposal. This is the first mechanised farming operation in Chinchinim,” he added.
The MLA has stressed that agriculture is an important sector of the economy, which the youth has shied away from, insisting that it is rather a critical area which needs the energetic youth to consider venturing into.
“In Velim constituency, there are several uncultivated fields. I will encourage young people to step forward and begin cultivating the lands,” he said, while urging the government to bring more agricultural machinery to the State, arguing that this would increase participation.
He has also urged the government to waive GST on the fencing to make the scheme attractive to the farmers.
