Agri Startups Training: Chouhan Calls for Well-Researched Modules

New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday emphasised the importance of training of agricultural startups in the country and called for well-researched training modules and curriculum.

"The training of agricultural startups is very important today," Chouhan said after virtually laying the foundation stone of the Executive Hostel Block and Training Block of the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, Hyderabad.

He suggested the institute pay attention to every aspect of the extension work. For which, the training modules and courses should not only be traditional, but should also be able to meet today's requirements, an official statement said.

He also called for crop diversification, value addition and promotion of natural farming.

Chouhan, who is in Daltonganj in Jharkhand, expressed concern over decline in cultivation of pigeon peas in the state and announced the Centre will procure the pulses.

A team will also visit the state and encourage cultivation of pigeon peas and other pulses in this region.

Meanwhile in Delhi, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi held a meeting with World Bank Vice-President, South Asian Region, Martin Raiser and discussed the priorities of the government in the agriculture sector.

He informed that the government is making efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds, promoting sustainable agriculture, implementing policies to overcome the challenge of small holding size, and implementing policies to improve delivery of services to the farmers and bring behavioral change at scale, the statement said.

During the meeting, the discussion focused on ways to ensure the benefits of the carbon credit to the small and marginal farmers; challenges of decreasing farm size; access to capital for farmers producers organization; leveraging digital, and soil health infrastructure for behavioral change at scale for sustainable use of input; designing policies to incentivise farmers to adopt sustainable agriculture practices and climate smart and resilient agriculture.