Nashik, Aug 28 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday called upon agricultural colleges to play a key role in modernising farming through new technology, research and innovation to reduce production costs and increase productivity.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new building of Karmayogi Dulaji Sitaram Patil Agricultural College at Chachadgaon in Dindori taluka, Fadnavis said loan waivers alone cannot permanently free farmers from the debt cycle and that a technology-based system needs to be developed for the agriculture sector.
“The government has waived farmers’ loans under the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmers’ Loan Waiver Scheme, but a new technology-based system is needed to take farmers out of the debt trap, “he said.
Fadnavis said nearly 80 per cent of farmers in the state are small landholders and have limited capacity to invest, while the cost of cultivation is rising.
“Research in agriculture needs to be encouraged and there is a need for colleges that can take the benefits of this research to farmers,” he said.
Agricultural colleges should guide farmers on the use of fertilisers based on soil quality and help develop models to increase productivity of different crops, he said.
The CM highlighted Nashik’s contribution to agriculture, saying the district was a major agricultural hub and its farmers were known for their hard work. About 80 per cent of India’s grape exports originate from Nashik district, he said, while the district’s onion is known across the country.
Fadnavis said excessive use of chemical fertilisers had reduced soil quality and stressed the need to increase production with lower fertiliser use through new technology.
He said agricultural colleges should ensure that experiments and research conducted on their campuses reach farmers in the field.
“If children of farmers receive education in agricultural colleges and connect farming with processing industries, a large economy can be created,” he said.
The chief minister also stressed the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture, saying its use could reduce production costs by 25 to 30 per cent and increase productivity by up to 40 per cent.
“If agriculture is to be made profitable, use of technology in the agricultural sector is very important. Many states in the country are lagging behind in agricultural productivity. The potential of the soil has decreased due to excessive use of chemical fertilisers. Therefore, the state government is promoting new technologies to boost production with less use of fertilisers,” he said.
Maharashtra has developed the ‘Mahavistaar’ app, which uses AI to provide farmers guidance across the crop cycle, he said. The app also has a facility to provide answers to farmers’ queries in different languages, Fadnavis added.
Water Resources Minister and Nashik district guardian minister Girish Mahajan said agriculture was undergoing rapid changes and farmers were facing challenges arising from climate change.
Agricultural colleges should equip students with modern technology and produce scientists and technicians capable of creating employment opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors, he said. PTI COR MR NP
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