Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday announced that Bhoochetana programme of improving soil health will be reintroduced in Karnataka.
Participating in a two-day workshop of Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers from various States being organised by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister recalled that Bhoochetana scheme had been started by the then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in 2009.
He said such a scheme that focused on protection of soil health and improvement of crop yield through proper management of nutrients and fertilizers, was needed now to ensure efficient utilisation of fertilizers and nutrients.
He stressed the need for integrating traditional farming practices with modern farming methods for better results. “While traditional farming helps in protecting soil health and environment, modern methods go a long way in improving yields,” he noted.
Condition of farmers
He expressed concern that despite taking care of the country’s food security, the condition of farmers had not improved. Stressing the need to improve the financial condition of farmers, he said secondary agriculture that focuses on using land for multiple activities was the only way forward to double farmers’ incomes. There was a dire need to focus on comprehensive method of secondary agriculture, he said, while pointing out that Karnataka has already set up a secondary agriculture directorate.
Efforts were going on in Karnataka to integrate different agricultural, horticultural and veterinary sciences universities through a common platform for proper co-ordination for research efforts, he said.
Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Thomar stressed the need for digitisation of various agricultural practices and increasing the number of FPOs (farmers’ producers’ organisations) for helping farmers.
Union Minister for Health, Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya expressed concern that the present level of subsidy being given by the Union government to various fertilizer manufacturing companies was equivalent of the annual budget size of a State like Karnataka.
