Step up foodgrain production to meet growing demand: Pawar

July 16th, 2010 - 8:31 pm ICT by IANS  

New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Friday said there is a need to accelerate India’s food grain production to meet the growing demand of the country’s population.
“This has to be achieved through vertical expansion with the use of science and technology,” said Pawar, addressing the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) awards ceremony here.

Awardees included five institutions, 127 scientists and three farmers.

He said the country must do much more for a qualitative improvement in agricultural research and extension systems.

“Much more needs to be done, both in terms of pure research and in terms of quality and effectiveness of our rural extension services,” the minister said.

He said climate change and its impact on Indian agriculture has thrown new challenges to the country’s agricultural researchers and scientists.

“Our various research centres across the country are actively working on developing drought resistant varieties of seed and other plant management methods to mitigate the expected production loss due to rising temperatures,” Pawar said.

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