Agriculture universities should strive to raise farm productivity in Karnataka, said Ramesh Chand, member of NITI Aayog and the 15th Finance Commission, on Saturday. He was speaking at the convocation of the University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences (UAHS) in Shivamogga.
Two-thirds of the cultivable land in Karnataka is rain-fed and lacks access to permanent irrigation facilities. Erratic rains and recurring droughts have made life miserable for farmers. In 2017-18, one hectare under cultivation in Karnataka yielded a crop output worth around ₹99,000, as against the national figure of ₹1.1 lakh. There is a huge potential to raise agriculture productivity and reach higher growth in the farm sector, he said. “Agriculture universities, policy-makers and farmers should work together to bring a complete turnaround in the sector,” he said.
The second crop is cultivated only on 23% of the cultivable area in the State. At present, the agriculture sector here is dominated by low-productivity crops. More than 40% of the timber requirement of the country is met through imports. It is an opportunity for States, including Karnataka, that have vast tracts of barren or unused land to take up cultivation of trees with timber value, he said.
Referring to the trend among engineering graduates of opting for managerial jobs, he said agriculture graduates should tread a similar path. As the sector is getting modernised and commercialised, there are good opportunities for talented youngsters in the agriculture business, which includes agro-processing and post-harvest value addition. Agriculture universities should offer short-duration courses in agri-business skills, Mr. Chand added.
B.C. Patil, Minister for Agriculture, and M.K. Naik, Vice-Chancellor of the university, were present at the programme.
