Agriculture scientists hailed for making India a food bowl

TIRUPATI: Introduction of new crop varieties using scientific technology in the agriculture sector has helped India attain food security, said Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Interacting with agriculture students at Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Shekhawat hailed the agriculture scientists for steering India to become self-sufficient in food production with the introduction of various new seed varieties.

Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Vishnu Vardhan Reddy conferred honorary doctorate on Shekhawat. The Jal Shakti Minister said, it is a memorable day for him to receive the honorary doctorate from ANGRAU. He lauded the university scientists and staff for their relentless services, which placed the university in the 11th position among the 74 agricultural universities in the country.

Shekhawat said the newer inventions by agriculture scientists not only made India self-reliant in food production but also allowed India to export different food grains and materials to foreign countries.
“It is a proud moment as all the global nations today are looking towards India for food grains, which has been made possible due to advancements in the agriculture sector,” he added.

State Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy said ANGRAU has been playing a key role in the development of the farm sector in the State. He said BPT-5204 (Samba Masoori), MTU-7029 and MTU-1001 (Vijetha) paddy varieties developed by ANGRAU have gained popularity across the country. The minister also said the university has embarked on the use of drone technology, which is a first-of-its-kind reform in the agriculture sector to reduce cost of cultivation.