KADAPA: Underscoring the need for adopting natural farming methods to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said training in natural farming is necessary from the village-level. Natural farming methods will be integrated with Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) to create awareness among farmers, he said.
Speaking after laying the foundation for Nutech Biosciences Unit at Andhra Pradesh Centre for Advanced Research on Livestock (AP CARL), which has been renamed as Indo-German Global Academy for Agro-Ecology Research and Learning (IG GAARL), here on Thursday, the Chief Minister said the centre will turn out to be of immense help to farmers.
He appealed to the stakeholders to reduce usage of chemicals in food products and opined that the research to be carried out at the IG GAARL will help the farmers improve productivity and earn more profits. He said that each RBK will have master trainers to impart knowledge on scientific methods and support the farmers practising natural farming methods.
The Chief Minister said that about six lakh farmers are engaged in natural farming of the total 50 lakh in the State and stated that RBKs will be turned into certifying agencies for natural farming products, which will ensure a premium price.
He expressed faith that the academy will develop as a world-class university and lead many more farmers toward natural farming. The IGGAARL will organise research through competitive grants, involving globally and nationally acclaimed research institutes and universities.
It will work closely with the Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RSS) which helps implement the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF), working for the empowerment and all-round welfare of farmers.
The academy will collaborate with other institutions, including Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Agriculture and Horticulture Universities and Research Stations, and Kisan Vigyans Kendras in the State. The IGGAARL will feature a digital repository and learning platform and state-of-the-art laboratories.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Development Cooperation Jochen Flasbarth said, "Together, we are pursuing the 2030 agenda under the Paris Climate Agreement. In addition to energy transition, sustainable urban development and mobility, our bilateral cooperation focuses on natural resource management and sustainable food systems. Global food systems are facing tremendous challenges. Producing enough food is a top priority with many agricultural practices fostering land degradation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and pollution."
School buildings inaugurated
Later in the day, the Chief Minister inaugurated the newly-constructed buildings of Zilla Parishad High Schools for Boys and Girls at Vempalli. On the occasion, the Chief Minister displayed the pictures of the revamped government schools under Nadu-Nedu and said that the government brought a new vibe to the government schools under the scheme.
He wished the students ‘all the very best’ and told them to study well, speak fluent English like those studying in private schools, and excel in the competitive world.