Union Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Sharad Pawar said that one cannot hope to increase farm production and productivity if the challenge to provide adequate and timely water to farmers is not addressed.
Addressing the dignitaries at the second edition of the National Conclave on Micro-irrigation in New Delhi, he said he recently toured various drought-affected states and felt the urgency of developing plans and missions for preserving every drop of water available with us.
He said this year the country’s agriculture produce exports touched a record level of $37 billion with a fairly diverse basket of agricultural commodities. However in the process, the water tables have touched critical levels, and the ecological sustainability of these production systems is being questioned.
Speaking on the occasion, Ashish Bahuguna, secretary, agriculture and cooperation said, “Water is increasingly becoming a scarce commodity and there is a need for adopting water conservation technologies in a more comprehensive fashion.” Dwelling on the micro-irrigation systems, he, however lamented that large parts of the country are still untouched by it.
Rajiv Mundhra, president, Indian Chamber of Commerce, and his team were also present at the conclave, as were senior officials from the agriculture ministry.
