the goan I network
MARGAO
Raising concern over the pest damage to farms in Salcete, GOACAN has written to the district Collector, South Ajit Roy, to formulate a district Action Plan in the International Year of Plant Health 2020.
In the letter, GOACAN has expressed concern about damage caused to farms of the villagers of Verna, Utorda & Majorda in Salcete taluka where in crops of watermelons, pulses, onions and vegetables were destroyed by some insects and worms.
It has pointed out that this damage caused to the farms is a loss to farmers and must be seen as a warning sign of the even more trying times that our farmers are likely to face in the months to come.
GOACAN has further pointed out that besides dealing with issues of compensation to the damaged farms & crop losses there is an urgent need to put in place an action plan to prevent further damage.
The NGO has requested the Collector to convene a meeting of all stakeholders, to draw up a District Action Plan for awareness & action and prevention & protection so as to ensure and promote plant health during the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH-2020).
It may be noted that the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has launched the United Nations’ International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) 2020 which aims to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help ‘protect the environment’ besides many other issues.
The FAO has pointed out that plants are under constant and increasing threat from pests and diseases.
Climate change and human activities are altering ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and creating
conditions where pests can thrive. At the same time, international travel and trade has tripled in volume in the last decade and can quickly spread pests and diseases around the world causing great damage to native plants and the environment.
GOACAN has requested the District Collector to involve the Directorate of Agriculture, Directorate of Panchayats, ICAR-CCARI, Ela, Old Goa, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Margao, Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB), Don Bosco College of Agriculture, Sulcorna and the Botanical Society of Goa (BSG) in preparing the District Action Plan for IYPH 2020.
