The Rama Devi Women’s University’s Department of Economics in association with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi began holding a two-day national seminar on “Agricultural growth and productivity: Issues and challenges” at the university auditorium here on Saturday.
Inaugurating the seminar, Development Commissioner Asit Kumar Tripathy said that the major challenge in the agriculture sector in the State is farmers, poverty as they sell 90 per cent of their produce at their farm cost rate.
To overcome such a situation, the Government agencies, universities and research institutions should make efforts to replace middlemen to help the farmers enhance their production and finances, Tripathy added.
ICAR-CIWA Director Prof SK Srivastava said the farmers are the backbone of the Indian economy and without them the development of the country is impossible. There is a
need of revolutionary changes in the agriculture Sector by 2050, he added.
South Asia University, New Delhi Vice-President Prof Santosh Chandra Panda said the agricultural sector contributes 15 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP), but 50 per cent of people are dependent on it. So, increase in agricultural produce is very much needed, he said.
ICSSR Director Dr Upendra Choudhury stressed on modern agriculture and importance of technical skills for it.
Rama Devi Women’s University Vice-Chancellor Prof Padmaja Mishra spoke on the need of research in the agricultural sector. She thanked the participants coming from across the country.
Economics HOD Dr Sarita Supkar, Dr Durga Sankar Sarangi, Dr Aparajita Biswal and Dr Kalpana Mishra also spoke on the occasion.
In the meeting, researchers from across the country would also present their papers.