Bengaluru: The State Government on Monday January 17 had formed a committee led by Agriculture Minister B. C. Patil consisting of farmers, to look into technologies that can be developed through agricultural sciences universities, as well as other measures that need to be taken to help farmers double their income, and decided to establish a Secondary Agriculture Directorate.
As per the order, the committee will include 12 farmers who have received the first three awards from the Agriculture Department’s ‘Krishi Pandit’ awards in the last four years.
The panel will look into areas where further study is needed to assist farmers, such as ensuring that agricultural university innovations help farmers raise their income, supply nutritious produce to consumers, and are environment-friendly.
In addition, a Secondary Agriculture Directorate will be established to process all agro-products, including dairy, fisheries, horticulture, sericulture, and animal husbandry, as well as to establish agro-processing plants to enable farmers to earn more money and create jobs in rural areas.
The Horticulture Minister will serve as the committee’s Deputy Chairman, and members will include senior officials from the agriculture and horticulture departments, vice-chancellors of agricultural universities in Bengaluru, Dharwad, and Raichur, vice-chancellor of Veterinary and Fisheries University, Bidar, and the Agriculture Commissioner.
