Focus on diversification of cultivation: Governor

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JAN. 4. A nine-day Agribusiness Executive Education Programme, offered in India by Cornell University, U.S., was inaugurated by the Governor, Ms. V.S.Rama Devi, here on Thursday. The programme has as its objective the development of trained managers with a broad knowledge of the food sector from farm inputs to retailing, according to Dr. K.V. Raman of the Cornell University.

The programme will bring together industry representatives, senior faculty from universities, researchers and policy planners from the agriculture and horticulture departments of the Government. It is being conducted in association with Sathguru Management Consultants, a consulting firm in the agri and food business.

Speaking at the inaugural function, the Governor said while India now produced enough foodgrains to meet everyone's requirements in a substantial section remained hungry due to inefficient storage and distribution.

Other issues important to the Indian farmer included diversification of cultivation as every farmer growing the same crop would create surpluses and, therefore, cause a fall in prices of farm produce; availability of credit; and the problem of a large number of graduates from the agricultural universities not going back to the villages to share their knowledge, Ms. Rama Devi said.

Dr. A. Ravindra, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, in his keynote address said that post harvest management was crucial as the gap (wasteage) between yield and availability was a high as 30 per cent in India. Karnataka's Agriculture Commission was trying to find a way to tackle this problem.

Backward integration with the farmers was now the buzzword in the food sector; efforts had to be made to eliminate middlemen who denied the farmers a fair price, he said. As per an agreement reached with the State Government, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) would set up a terminal market for horticultural products near Whitefield, close to Bangalore, Dr. Ravindra said. The market was being set up a cost of Rs. 100 crore.

The State was also setting up agro parks in Bagalkot, Belgaum, Chitradurga and Maddur, Dr. Ravindra said. While the Government had taken the initiative in this regard, the private sector was welcome to invest, he said.

The agri-business programme is being directed by Dr. William Lesser, Department of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University. Over 30 experts from abroad as well as from India will address the participants through actual participation here and through video conferencing.

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