The 24^th Regional Committee Meeting of ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) Research Complex for NEH Region for Zone- III (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura) has started today at Assam Administrative Staff College, Guwahati. The Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri. Kailash Choudhary inaugurated the meeting in presence of Shri Atul Bora, Minister of Agriculture, Horticulture & Food Processing, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary & Town & Country planning, Govt. Of Assam.

 

       The Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri. Kailash Choudhary emphasized on developing organic farming in the region, and not to use harmful fertilizers & pesticides in their farming, which has alarmingly increased the health hazards among the people of the country. Shri. Kailash Choudhury highlighted Prime Minister’s vision for farmers to double their income by the year 2022 by the convergence of the technologies based on the available resources which would help in solving the farmer’s problems and insist everyone to do the needful for achieving the goal. He informed that the KVK (Krishi Vikash Kendra) which are spread across the region are doing laudable jobs by testing and demonstrating frontline technologies and imparting training to very large numbers of farmers and youth to enhance their understandings and skill for adopting new technologies.

 

      Sri Atul Bora, Minister of Agriculture, Horticulture & Food Processing, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary & Town & Country planning, GOA, said that the economy of the North-Eastern region is still mainly agrarian, while most of the states in India are gradually moving away from their traditional agri-based economy to industry or service- oriented economy. He said that this region is still lagging far behind and therefore said that the Assam Agriculture University and other Agriculture universities and Research Institutes of this region need guidance & support of ICAR to support them to do the best possible to enhance the crop productivity with suitable verities and innovate crop production practices, which are suitable for the local farmers. He too informed that in the Horticulture area there is scope for bringing commerce with a push to scale up the productivity of fruits, vegetables, spice and plantation crops.

 

     Dr. R. C. Agrawal, DDG (Education) & Nodal Officer RCM, said that ICAR emphasize on finding out the solutions for the better yield of agricultural products. He informed that the purpose of the Regional Committee is to provide a forum to researchers and the State Government functionaries to examine the major gaps in the current research and training efforts in the farming sector; identify priorities and decide agenda of research and extension education for the coming two years. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has set up eight Regional Committees on the basis of agro-climatic regions.

     Shri. B. Pradhan, Additional secretary & financial Advisor (DARE/ ICAR) and Dr. T. Mohapatra, Secretary, DARE & DG, ICAR also addressed on the inaugural session.

 

    Almost, over 150 delegates of the region, from Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors of ICAR, along with VC of different Agricultural Universities, senior officers and professors and Scientist of ICAR were present in the Meeting.

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