Narendra Modi, who is in fact clueless about farming and agriculture, suggested the farmers to adopt a three-pronged approach to agriculture.
By Rakesh Raman
In an attempt to woo the agitated farmers who are unhappy with the BJP government’s forced land acquisition policies, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Tuesday DD Kisan, a Doordarshan (government-run TV outfit) channel dedicated to farmers.
Modi, who spends most of his time on foreign trips, was incidentally in India on Tuesday to address a gathering of farmers at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, an exhibition site for Indian politicians and bureaucrats.
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Modi asked farmers to increase their food-grain productivity from 2 tons per hectare to 3 tons per hectare. How? Neither farmers nor Modi knows about it, as India is among the most backward countries in terms of using modern farming techniques.
Modi said that if the country has to move forward, villages must progress, and if villages are to progress, then it is essential for agriculture to progress.
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He said there was a time when agriculture was the most preferred of professions, but over a period of time, its attractiveness had declined to rock bottom. He added that with the right incentives and actions, this trend could be completely reversed.
Modi suggested that DD Kisan channel should keep an eye and inform farmers about the changes in weather, global markets etc., so that farmers can plan ahead and take the right decisions well in time.
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He said DD Kisan channel can also highlight the efforts of progressive farmers, so that their innovations can be replicated across the country.
Modi, who is in fact clueless about farming and agriculture, suggested the farmers to adopt a three-pronged approach to agriculture, which balanced farming, animal husbandry, and tree plantation.
By Rakesh Raman, the managing editor of RMN Company
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