Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) hosted a National Conference on 9.11.2024 Crop Diversification and Climate Change, organized by Village Nama, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO); and Rural Voice; in association with the Government of Punjab, here today. The Conference was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Shri V.K. Singh, Special Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister of Punjab. Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, presided over the Conference which was largely attended by eminent dignitaries – Shri Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj; Dr Rashmi Sinha, Co-Founder Village Nama, (Former National Consultant, UN Women India; and Former Director, Mahila Samakhya, Government of India Programme); Mr. Alok Sinha, Founder, VillageNama; Shri Harvir Singh, Editor-in-Chief, Rural World; Dr Jaswant Singh, Director, Agriculture, Punjab; Dr J.S. Samra, Former Chairman, National Rainfed Area Authority, and Former DDG, NRM, ICAR; Dr M.S. Bhullar, Director Extension Education, PAU; Dr A.S. Dhatt, Director Research, PAU; Dr Navtej Singh Bains, Former Director, Research, PAU; Deans, Directors, Officers of PAU, distinguished scientists and delegates from the academia; stakeholders from the industry; and farmers from all over Punjab in large numbers.
The Chief Guest Shri V.K. Singh, shared that Punjab, largely an agrarian state, had been a dominant contributor to the national pool of wheat and paddy stocks. However, the state has paid a steep environmental cost for the same. Intensive agriculture has brought significant land, water and air problems that became evident during the 1980s and are becoming increasingly prominent over time. Insisting on crop diversification today as a critical step towards making agriculture more sustainable, reducing environmental impact, and ensuring economic stability for farmers, the state and national governments will have to formulate policies together. Overcoming challenges related to market access, water management, and farmer awareness will require coordinated efforts from government, research institutions, and the farming community, he added. The Special Chief Secretary also emphasized the need to strengthen the cooperative structure of Punjab and assured all possible government support to resolve the issue.
Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, in his presidential address stated, “The role of crop diversification is to enhance resilience in the agricultural sector by reducing dependency on a single crop. Hence it is important to seek alternatives to the wheat-paddy crop cycle.” He stated that this has been an issue of concern for several decades, calling for crop diversification, especially paddy, which is water intensive and is largely responsible for groundwater depletion. Terming climate change as a global phenomenon, Dr Gosal mentioned the adverse effects of the same have been evident on crop health and yield in recent years. Quoting it as the El Nino effect, he voiced concern on the climate imbalance and the strong need to check the same. Dr Gosal further shared that PAU had released more than 950 varieties of improved seeds, recommending alternatives to paddy and wheat. With 15 lakh tubewells in Punjab, around 117 out of 153 blocks in Punjab are not being replenished enough, with Sardulgarh and Mansa being the worst hit, where water level has dipped to 220 feet, thereby leading to water contamination by heavy metals which are a cause of worry due to their carcinogenic properties. Further, Dr Gosal advocated the use of mulch in the fields to enrich the soil with biomass nutrients, use of short duration rice varieties PR 126 and Basmati, adopt PAU recommendations for biopesticides, plant protection technologies, diversify to cotton, maize, berseem, tomato, chilli, green pea, chickpea, garlic, carrot, turmeric etc. He also mentioned the vast potential of value-addition and marketing, especially in frozen chickpea.
Shri Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj, highlighted the plight of Punjab farmers in terms of their economic status; and called for drafting of farmer policies that actually work for their betterment. He pointed out that good governance and farmers’ policies are aligned. He also underscored the importance of quality education in agricultural sciences; vide graphing meetings of the gram sabhas to introduce transparency; and mandatory e-documentation for hastening action concerned to the welfare of farmers.
Dr Rashmi Sinha, Co-Founder Village Nama, in her welcome address, called for unity in the face of the climate crisis and finding solutions to the challenges. Feeling concerned for the safety of over 13 crore children in India who are most severely impacted by the environmental crisis, she sensitized the audience to ensure a sustainable planet to the younger generation. She shared disturbing statistics from UNICEF, quoting that climate change had induced floods six times over, and droughts seven times over in the recent years.
Shri Harvir Singh, Editor-in-Chief, Rural World proposed a vote of thanks to the dignitaries, experts, farmers and delegates who had converged for the conference.
Three Technical Sessions included talks on various significant issues by experts. The first Technical Session was based on the theme “Need for Crop Diversification”, wherein Dr Jaswant Singh, Director, Agriculture, Punjab, elaborated on ‘The Technical Perspective of Crop Diversification’. Dr Shweta Saini, Economist and distinguished Visiting Fellow, VillageNama enunciated on the Conference theme; while Dr Navtej Singh Bains discussed “Crop Diversification in Punjab: Economics vs Ecology’. Dr J.S. Samra, Former Chairman, National Rainfed Area Authority; and Former DDG, NRM, ICAR, shared his expert comments.
The second Technical Session was themed on “Strengthening Rural Economy through Alternative Crops”. Shri R.P.S. Gandhi, Stevia Entrepreneur and chairman, Green Valley Stevia engaged in a case study on ‘New Avenues of Crop Diversification’; Shri Avtar Singh Dhindsa elaborated on ‘Floriculture as a viable Agro-Industry’; Dr Swamy Pentyala spotlighted on ‘Agri-Digital Platform: A Boon for Rural Marketing’; and Dr A.S. Dhatt, Director, Research, PAU, divulged on ‘Viable Alternative Crops for Diversification in Punjab’.
The third Technical Session witnessed expert talks on ‘Satellite Imagery for Diversified Agriculture’ by Cdr Sridhar Kotra, Co-Founder, Agri Matrix Pvt. Ltd.; and ‘Modern Dairy Industry via Good Breeding Technologies’ by Dr Daljit Singh Gill. Dr M.S. Bhullar, Director Extension Education, PAU, summed up the Conference and underscored the major themes. Dr Vishal Bector, Associate Director (Institution Relations) coordinated the programme.
Read more:https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=&intID=9902
