By IANS
New Delhi : The government will provided customised agricultural forecast to all 604 districts in the country by June 2008 to help farmers achieve better productivity, Minister of Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal said Thursday.
“Although agricultural production and growth are dictated by diverse factors such as credit and pricing policies and land reforms, yet use and application of science and technology have a significant role to play in enhancing the productivity and profitability of the sector,” Sibal told reporters.
The minister said the two ministries under him – related to science and technology and earth sciences – seek to contribute in realising the challenging goal set by the government for the agriculture sector – a four percent growth during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-12).
Sibal said the effort will help millions of Indian farmers to plan in advance about their crop pattern and sowing season.
To disseminate information on agriculture a comprehensive agro-information portal will be available in several regional languages.
“A real-time crop health and productivity assessment and management platform will be perfected and proliferated nationally by December 2007,” he added.
He further said that a “working paper and plan on potential to rejuvenate the tea industry” would be prepared by October 2007.
He said the science and technology secretary will facilitate the functioning of a newly set-up task force and periodically monitor the above programmes.