Focus on organic farming: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu

VIJAYAWADA: Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu said that the country’s development is possible only if there is corresponding growth of food producers, the farming community. He said that the efforts put in by farmers in producing food grains was on par with the diligence of Covid frontline fighters, adding that in the eyes of farmers, agriculture was not a profession but a lifestyle.

Naidu was speaking after presenting Muppavarapu Foundation-RythuNestham awards at Swarnabharat Trust here on Saturday. The awardees included farmers, scientists, agricultural officials and journalists. He praised Yadlapally Venkateswara Rao, who has been organizing the annual awards function and serving the farming community through the RythuNestham monthly magazine.

The vice-president said that the credit for introducing scientific approaches in the field of agriculture goes to Indians and that there is a reference to scientific knowledge in Indian literature. He said farmers should focus on eco-friendly farming practices as organic products were commanding good prices.

Naidu said that every farmer should set aside a portion of their lands for environ-friendly plantation and water conservation. He said educated youth should focus on agriculture and make use of the information provided in the form of mobile applications. He suggested that the youth should come forward voluntarily to provide technology to every farmer, and for creation of commercial infrastructure and modernization of the sector.

He unveiled several books on agriculture and went through the exhibition of modern agricultural implements set up by Rythu Nestham.

Agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu, former ministers Vadde Shobhanadriswara Rao and Kamineni Srinivas, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh in-charge for south India, Kumara Swamy, farmers, agronomists, scientists and authors participated in the programme.