Development of primary sector will generate productivity: Dy CM

IMPHAL | Aug 7

Deputy chief minister, Yumnam Joykumar Singh today inaugurated a five days Special National Training Programme on Advancement of Seed Testing at ICAR research complex for NEH region, Manipur centre at Lamphelpat, Imphal.

Speaking at the inaugural function, he said, development of agriculture & horticulture i.e. overall development of primary sector in the State are important to generate self-sustained productivity and revenue resources as well.

He said, although the State has the potential to generate revenue resources in some sectors like, tourism and healthcare, the most important is the development of primary sector. Problems and methodology in terms of agriculture in Manipur are different from that of the mainland, he added.

 Although, the State has adequate rainfall, there is the need to provide proper irrigation facilities so as to enable the farmers to grow crops successfully thereby increasing productivity, he said.

Further Joykumar said, as Northeastern region has a good climatic condition, there has to be certain type of vegetation which are normally suited to the food habits of the people and therefore, those vegetation are to be cultivated in large scale.

On seed testing, he said, with the advancement of scientific and technological knowledge of how seeds are treated and stored, the traditional methods are also need to be imbibed in the process. If so, agricultural productivity will increase and it can play a major role in economic development in the State.

Organising such trainings will help the farming community to inculcate knowledge which will help in agricultural practices, he added.

Additional chief secretary Suhel Akhtar while addressing the gathering said, keeping in view the importance of self-dependency in food consumption in the State, there has to be adequate agricultural and horticultural productions. Government alone cannot provide the necessities and therefore, all the stakeholders should come together and co-operate each other to make it a success, he said.

S.V. Ngachan, director, ICAR research complex for NEH region said, entire Northeastern States except Assam are deficient in seeds. ICAR with the help of States agriculture departments has been trying to enhance seeds production for the last many years, he said, adding seed production campaign has to be started and such training will go a long way to enhance productivity.

Around 50 trainees from within and outside the State are participating in the training programme which is being organised by ICAR, Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre along with National Seed Research and training centre, Varanasi under the sponsorship of ministry of agriculture & farmers welfare and department of agriculture, Manipur.