Fatorda: Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai today said that the real challenge before the State is to bring under cultivation 50 per cent of the 40,000 hactare paddy field land, which is uncultivated.
“Goa has 40,000 hactare of rice cultivation together khariff and rabi of which 50 per cent is uncultivated. The real challenge is to bring this area under cultivation,” he said.
Sardesai was speaking to reporters after soiling his hands and feet in a paddy field at Fatorda under Shiv Yog farming program. The minister himself went into the field and planted the saplings.
The minister hailed Shiv Yog Foundation as one of the initiative which has been promoting the safe food, and promoting the traditional ways of the farming.
Referring to a trend of farmers’ challenge which is currently set up, Sardesai said “this may look like farmers’ challenge. But this is not about tokenism.”
“We have to see how the farmer will be benefitted with this. With the cosmic farming, whatever you get will be safe food without chemicals as fertilizers. The main aim is to reduce our dependency for food on other states. We believe that Shiv Yoga can revolutionalise the farming,” he said.
Sardesai stressed for mechanized farming which will save several man hours and labour cost.
“We should opt for mechanization. We are incentivizing mechaisation by providing Rs 19,500 per acre while actual cost is Rs 26,000,” he said.
“Last time we took 800 acres of land under mechanized farming. Government intends that Goans should be service provider for all the agricultural operations right from transplanting to harvesting. Goans should come together and register as society and be service provide,” Sardesai said.
