At a time when the State Government has come under flak over farmers’ suicide, the ruling BJD will hold its first State-level farmers’ workshop ‘Agriculture and Farmers’ at the Exhibition Ground here on April 20 to be addressed by party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
More than 10,000 farmers and their supporters from the State along with MPs and MlAs are scheduled to participate.
BJD spokesperson and MlA Shashi Bhusan Behera informed that the convention will see the participation of 500 delegates including many farmer leaders of different sanghatans, cooperatives, producer companies, federations in addition to officials from Agriculture, Fisheries and several line departments.
The upcoming state level convention of farmers is expected to build solidarity amongst farmers from various districts, create awareness of schemes and programmes. The convention will also provide an opportunity for delegates to learn from each others’ experiences, struggles and strategies in successfully securing rights to land, forest, water, seed and other commodities.
BJD farmers’ cell convenor Sushant Singh alleged that the Centre is yet to release the full drought package for the State even though 28 districts faced severe drought in the last Kharif.