CHENNAI: Chief minister M K Stalin on Friday said the state government would bring in a law to regulate the use of groundwater, a separate budget for agriculture and focus on organic farming besides reviving the Uzhavar Santhai (farmers’ market).
Inaugurating the international consultation on ensuring food and nutrition security in the context of climate change and Covid-19 pandemic organised by MSSRF, the chief minister said his government was committed to achieving self-sufficiency in food production and increasing the coverage of cultivable land in the state. An environment should be created where farmers see agriculture as a profitable sector with technological advancements. The farmers should get an appropriate price for their produce. “In a first, we are presenting a separate budget for agriculture on August 14. Agriculture remains the country’s life and body. We are paying special attention to it,” Stalin said.
He said the state government was taking climate change very seriously. “Climate change has become a massive threat. Its impact is increasing day-by-day as there is a rise in incidents of heatwave. Monsoons are becoming unpredictable. There are reports that certain parts of the world are reaching web-bulb temperature,” the chief minister said, urging all the environmental scientists to come up with innovative suggestions to resolve the issues of climate change.
Eminent agricultural scientist Prof M S Swaminathan emphasized on the need to provide technical as well as assured and remunerative market support for rural women, tribal and farmers. “I urge the chief minister to continue the support to small and marginal farmers, rural women and tribal farmers. They are jewels of agriculture,” Swaminathan said.
The virtual international consultation will have over 1,200 participants from 13 countries and 40 experts from countries of Asia and Africa, as well as from the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and other United Nations organisations and the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research, deliberating in nine sessions over three days.
