Stressing that food security is of utmost importance in the current circumstances, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said that there is a need to balance it with nutritional security as well natural farming.
“I am hopeful that a solution will be found as they (representatives of G20 member countries and experts) are deliberating on the issue of maintaining a balance between food security and saving the earth from degradation,” Chouhan told businessline after inaugurating the first Agriculture Deputies Meeting (ADM) of Agriculture Working Group of G20.
He said the world is closely watching India and even learning from Indian experience whether it was developments in agritech or digitisation in the farm sector.
The three-day event, which started on Monday in Indore, will see presentations by Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring Initiative, Tropical Agricultural Platform (TAP) on Wheat initiative, Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) and Technical Platform on Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste (TPFLW).
Excessive chemical use
Chouhan cautioned that due to excessive use of chemicals, not only plants, even animal species are getting wiped out and they are also harming the health of the human population. Highlighting that Madhya Pradesh is the leader in area coverage under organic farming, he said the government will make the programme on natural farming successful by demonstrating it on the field.
“We do not believe in coercing farmers to take up natural farming. It is not a job to be done with force. Gradually farmers will adopt the practice when they see its benefits,” Chouhan said. The Chief Minister highlighted the nutritional value of millets and how with government’s efforts the nutri-cereals are getting accepted by consumers.
Later, addressing the media he said Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the top performer in agriculture and it has increased production of foodgrains and other crops to 61.9 million tonnes (mt) from 15.9 mt and cultivated area to 29.9 million hectares from 19.9 million hectares in the last 18 years. The State has been helping the country to meet the demand for foodgrains, which is expected to be 345 mt in 2030, against 192 mt in 2000.
India’s foodgrain production touched a record 315.72 mt in the 2021-22 crop year (July-June) while the government has set a target of 328 mt for 2022-23. The foodgrains output in kharif 2022-23 is estimated at 149.92 mt whereas the rabi season’s estimate is likely to be released by end of this month.
During the second day of Agriculture Working Group (AWG), Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is likely to address the gathering of international experts and representatives of G20 countries. The last day has been reserved for deliberations on the key deliverables of the AWG.