the goan I network
OLD GOA
Admitting that Goa is unable to fulfil the actual requirement of its fodder needs and has to rely on neighbouring states, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said there is plenty of raw material available in Goa but it is not being tapped to convert it into fodder.
Sawant was speaking at the inauguration of the workshop on ‘Fodder Production, Conservation and Utilization’ organised by the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services in collaboration with ICAR, ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa and ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Jhansi and Dharwad at ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa.
“Goa is not able to fulfil the actual requirement of its fodder needs and has to rely on neighbouring states. We have to change this,” said the chief minister.
“The time has come to plug in the gaps between coordination among agricultural officers and veterinary officers and to take interested farmers on board for initiatives aimed at increasing farm input.”
“There is plenty of raw material available in Goa but said that we are not tapping into this resource in order to convert it into dry fodder,” he added, while emphasising the need to use technology and take it to the farmers.
Earlier, Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Dr Santosh Desai welcomed the gathering, while others present at the function included Director of ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa Dr E B Chakurkar, Head-PAR IGFRI, Jhansi, Dr A K Mishra and Director of Agriculture Madhav Kelkar.
At another function in the ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa, the chief minister said farmers are the backbone of the country and added that while the State government is helping those people involved in farming, the number of people working in this field is on the decline.
“It is important to involve the next generation in farming activities and inculcate in them a liking for this field,” said Sawant.
The chief minister lauded ICAR for promoting the use of technology to upgrade and increase farm production.
On the occasion, equipment used for farming and other allied activities were distributed to beneficiaries under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan Programme (SCSP) and Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) at a function held at ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa.
Earlier, Coordinator, TSP-SCSP (Tribal Sub Plan and Scheduled Castes Sub Plan) programmes Dr Mathala Gupta welcomed the gathering while Director, ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa, Dr E B Chakurkar, briefed the gathering about the activities being undertaken at the ICAR.
