Advocating the need for sustainable agricultural practices for long-term productivity, the principal secretary to Prime Minister PK Mishra advised the states to adopt advanced technologies like remote sensing, drones and artificial intelligence to not only optimise agricultural practices but also secure environmental health.
Speaking at the foundation day event of the Agro-economic Research Centre at Sardar Patel University in Gujarat on Wednesday, Mishra emphasised the need for soil testing and conservation tillage. He called for adopting climate-smart practices in order to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases.
Encouraging the use of renewable energy and bioenergy production from agricultural residues, Mishra touched upon the concept of innovation and growth during his address. He highlighted the efforts of Gujarat to transform the state’s agricultural scenario in the last years by stating that the state has an innovation, resilience and growth model and has succeeded in that approach.
Highlighting that the state of Gujarat has transitioned from a subsistence-based economy to a more market-oriented and diversified agricultural sector, Mishra stated that Gujarat has become a role model for other states by setting an example. Gujarat’s agriculture and allied sectors have reported an average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7 per cent, against an average of 5.7 per cent.
Mishra stated that the state has been able to adopt various steps to register changes in land use, crop pattern, adoption of technology, rural socio-economic structures as well as irrigation methods and other states across the country should follow them to witness higher growth. Highlighting the importance of investment in agricultural research, Mishra called for the need to develop climate-resilient crops and innovative fertilisers along with steps to ensure efficient water use during his address.
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