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India likely to achieve record wheat, foodgrain output: Pawar
New Delhi, February 03, 2012 (PTI): Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today
expressed optimism that the government will achieve the targeted
food grain production of record 245 million tonnes for 2011-12 crop year and the country will harvest an
all-time high wheat output. "Wheat production will be much more than last year. The weather
condition is good and acreage is also higher," Pawar told PTI.
India produced a record wheat production at 85.93 million tonnes in
2010-11 crop year (July-June). Foodgrains (comprising wheat, rice, coarse cereals and pulses) output also stood at record 241.56 million
tonnes in last crop year. Asked whether food grains production target of 245 million tonnes would
be achieved considering lower acreage of pulses and rice so far in the
current rabi season, Pawar said: "it (target) will be achieved".
According to the data compiled by the Agriculture Ministry till January
27 of the current rabi season, wheat acreage is higher at 295.30 lakh
hectares as against 291.63 lakh hectares in the same period of last rabi
season.
India's agri sector needs right leadership: Premji
Davos, January 28, 2012:* Wipro Chairman Azim Premji on Friday said India's
agriculture needs right leadership and a drive from Prime Minister because the
sector is key to the country's economy. "What we require in short term is much more investment in agriculture
and agricultural productivity. "If that can be controlled in terms of getting the right leadership there and the right drive from the Prime
Minister and his office in the area of agriculture because it is absolutely key area for our country," Premji told CNBC TV18 on the
sidelines of World Economic Forum. He said inflation would be controlled if the government curtails its
deficit in the forthcoming budget. Asked about the issues of governance deficit and corruption, Premji said that industry also needs to put its
act together. "You can't clap with one hand. If there is a receiver who takes, there
is giver who gives. It is very important that industry leaders establish a much higher standard of governance," he said.
The corruption also arises from the fact that enforcement of laws are
not quick and strict enough. "Just having a very active Supreme Court that contributes to improving the situation, but the Supreme Court has a
limited bandwidth in term of what it can address," he said. The Wipro Chief said it is not only the government but opposition as
well which has to have much more constructive outlook.
Bala Krishi Sastra Congress from January 20
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, January 20, 2012: About 500 children are expected to participate in
India's first 'Bala Krishi Sastra Congress' (Children's Agriculture Science Congress) and the third historic session set to begin at the
Public Library in the city on Friday. The two-day session on the theme 'Our farming' will be inaugurated by
agriculture minister K P Mohanan on Friday. It will be a platform to
present 100 project papers from various districts across the state including 10 projects each from Kozhikode and Kasargode and eight
projects each from Kannur and Malappuram. Of that, top seven projects
will be selected and from them the best project chosen will be awarded,
said S Jayakumar, programme coordinator of the Bala Krishi Sastra Congress.
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A panel of agriculture professors led by Agriculture College director of
extension P V Balachandran will judge the paper presentations of children, said C K
Peethambaran, chairman of the Congress. Led by Kerala
Karshakan editor Suresh Muthukulam, a section of farm journalists will
evaluate the children's handwritten magazine and posters. The best child
farmer will be conferred a cash award of Rs 11,111 with an appreciation
certificate said P Loknath, patron of Agri-Friends.
Organised by Agri-Friends in coordination with the departments of Kerala
Agriculture, Environment and Climate Change and State Horticulture Mission, the Congress will have an agricultural exhibition with seeds,
farm equipments, charts and posters by the participating children. The
exhibition will be inaugurated by excise minister K Babu and the best
display will receive a cash award and trophy.
The Agricultural Innovation Partnership (AIP)
January 11, 2012: The Indo-Gangetic valley is home to a large section of India's
population that lives on less than Rs 50 per day. Being one of the most
fertile regions , it has the potential of providing food security and
increasing the prosperity of farmers . The Agricultural Innovation Partnership
(AIP), started jointly by India and the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) in 2011, focuses on the Indo-Gangetic region. The AIP is a programme aimed at increasing farm productivity through better cropping
practices and access to improved technologies and markets.
It is a collaborative effort between those Indian and US universities,
which are pioneers in agriculture studies and research . Cornell University is the lead university from the US, with the University of Illinois
, Ohio State University, University of California - Davis, Tuskegee University and the University of Georgia as partner-universities . On the Indian side, the Benaras Hindu University
(BHU) is the lead university, along with state agricultural universities
like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology,
Meerut, and Rajendra Agricultural University , Pusa Samastipur. "Trained professionals are needed to manage resources, fine-tune change
and deal with the rapidly evolving needs of a country like India. - Education Times reports
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