Our Correspondent
Imphal, August 7 (EMN): Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh on Monday inaugurated a five days special national training programme on advancement of seed testing at ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre, Lamphelpat, Imphal.
Addressing the programme, he stated ‘North Eastern Region has good climatic conditions which are normally suited for development of its vegetation. So it has to be taken care to explore the possibilities of agricultural development in the region’.
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, he added. Stating that development of agriculture & horticulture sectors 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’.
He also informed that organising such trainings will help the farming community to inculcate knowledge which will help in agricultural practices.
In his address Additional Chief Secretary Dr Suhel Akhtar said keeping in view the importance of self-dependant in food consumption in the State, there has to be adequate agricultural and horticultural productions while Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region Dr SV Ngachan said entire North Eastern 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’. Seed production campaign has to be started and such training will go a long way to enhance productivity.
Around 60 scientists, academicians, seed analyst, state officials and extension functionaries from various parts of the country are participating in the training programme.
The programme was jointly organised by ICAR Manipur Centre and National Seed Research and Training Centre, Varanasi under the sponsorship of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Department of Agriculture, Manipur.
