The Orissa RsKrushak Samaj (OKS) celebrated the World Food Day here at the Institution of Engineers on Sunday.
Inaugurating the event, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) (Agricultural Extension) Deputy Director General Dr AK Singh laid emphasis on dal seed production in Odisha. He advised the Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the State to conduct research on pulses.
The farmers of the State are giving importance to rice only. They should also focus on other crops, he observed.
“The farmers are not producing enough dal in our country and we are importing it from other countries. That is why dal price is very high here,” said Singh. Noted economist Sarat Chnadra Bhadra said instead of giving Rs1 rice, the State Government should provide fertilisers, pesticides and water to the farmers. He also advised the farmers to use modern technology in the agriculture field.
OUAT Extension and Education Dean Dr PN Jagdev spoke about poultry farming.
ICAR (Fisheries Science) Deputy Director General Dr JK Jena said that though the population is increasing day by day, the areas of agriculture field remain the same. Steps should be taken to produce food in the limited areas to meet the needs of the larger section of people, he said, adding how important fish farming is.
OKS chief technical adviser Dr Khageswar Pradhan, Central Institute for Women in Agriculture director Dr Jatinder Kishtwaria, lawyer Guruprasad Mohanty and ICAR Director Dr H Pathak also spoke, among others.
OKS chairman Dr Purna Chandra Mohanty gave welcome address. The aim of organising the programme was to create awareness among the farmers about the use of technology in agriculture, he said.
About 700 farmers’ delegates from different parts of the country were present. Successful farmers were felicitated with the Krushak Bandhu and Krushak Ratna awards on the occasion.