Panaji: With a focus to look for an alternative to the mining industry, the State Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai has called for collaboration between Goa and Maharashtra to tap the huge potential in agro tourism sector especially in the Konkan region.
Sardesai said that Goa’s tourism model could be emulated by Maharashtra whilst sharing advances in agriculture with its neighbor thus promoting Konkan region a centre of agri-tourism in the country.
“Goa Government is keen to consider this as an likely alternative to the mining industry which is hit by abrupt closure because of Supreme Court directions,” he said.
Minister said that sustainable resorts was the way forward to not only take tourism forward but also get the much needed glamour to agriculture so as to make it appealing to today’s younger generation.
Sardesai was speaking after inaugurating the International Mango Conference held at Regional Fruit Research Station, Vengurla by Interdisciplinary Society for Advancements of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (ISasAT) & Dr. BalasahebSawantKonkanKrishiVid
During the conference, both the States decided that they could work out various strategies in the field of adopting new strategies for the betterment of mango cultivation and Integrated Farming Systems approach.
Himself being a agriculture graduate, Minister said that Mango, the National Fruit could be used as the ideal medium of doubling the farmers income by 2022, a target espoused by the Prime Minister.
He also stressed on the need for the Konkan region to create its own model of barefoot luxury and hip hideaways by exploiting its traditions and rich cultural heritage and its well endowed natural.
He outlined the initiatives of the agriculture department of Goa and the various hand holding measures for the farming community. He called upon the international experts present to reorient their research to solving long pending issues of the farming community.
He credited the University for not only inculcating in him academics in agriculture but the most important man management quality that is crucial in politics.
Delegates comprising of scientists, academicians, students, consultants, NGO’s, farmers, and policy makers contributed in various ways during the three days workshop on various issues.
A stall by the Directorate of Agriculture was set up at the exhibition to show case Goan varieties, varieties from other States and hybrid and their qualities. Besides traditional Goan value added products were displayed, besides avenues for establishing a forward marketing linkage.
