Treat agriculture as business, not ‘development project’

Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 19

PARLIAMENTARY Secretary for Agriculture Dr Benjongliba Aier has underlined the need to ‘stop treating agriculture as a development project.’ Rather, he has advised treating agriculture ‘as a business’.
“In this modern era of agriculture, let us understand that the way forward is to stop treating agriculture as a development project, and also to stop implementing isolated projects that do not clearly develop the sector in a well-structured and measurable way,” Dr Benjongliba said while addressing a mammoth gathering of farmers, agriculture scientists and officials of the agriculture and allied departments during the valedictory function of the three-day ‘Naga Kheti Mela’ at the School of Agricultural Sciences & Rural Development (SASRD) in Medziphema campus on Saturday. Towards ‘treating agriculture as a business’, the Parliamentary Secretary said Nagas should start by focusing on using agriculture to creating jobs, wealth and ensuring food security. Suggesting on ‘investment drives’ to unlock the state’s economic potential Aier, also a former director of Horticulture before joining politics, urged the Naga farmers to focus on ‘value chains where Nagaland has the comparative advantage.’
Observing that the existing agricultural scenario in Nagaland was characterized by small farms with land holdings of less than two hectares, he felt it was time the Nagas do away with traditional farming and shift to modern farming with larger cultivation.
The parliamentary secretary also stressed on the practice of precision agricultural systems and use of heavy machinery in agriculture. They are the only way to cope with how farming is practiced in advanced countries.
“Practicing precision farming can increase the productivity and thus the farmers will get more remuneration from the same piece of land with less labor,” he said. High-tech precision agriculture would tremendously produce rural wealth in a sustainable and environmentally sound way.
On the theme of the fair, ‘Towards Sustainable Agriculture’, Aier urged for collective responsibility of all the participants in the system, including farmers, policy-makers, researchers, retailers and consumers. He, however, underlined the crucial role of the university, research centers and the state government towards realizing the state’s economic goal. “Sustainable agriculture development rests on the principle that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs,” he said. He termed the fair as a good indication “that our people are now ready to work together in order to face the challenges ahead of us in an era of globalized competition.”
“The way forward is to learn from each other and be committed and dedicated towards our goal of sustainable agriculture,” he further stated.