Will make our farmers self-reliant: HD Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: Loan waiver alone is not the solution to bail out distressed farmers and dissuade them from committing suicides, there is a need to make these farmers self reliant and financially strong, said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday.

Inaugurating Organics and Millets International Trade Fair 2019, Mr Kumaraswamy said the state government has been encouraging farmers to grow weather resilient and less water intensive crop to make the farmers financially stable. The state government has also been encouraging Israeli model of farming, which uses less water to grow crops and studying the rain pattern to decide on the crop to be grown. Agriculture should be made more profitable by transforming the way of farming, he observed. The state government has plans to introduce millet based recipe in mid-day meals and Indira Canteens, considering the health benefits of this protein rich food, he said.  The trade fairs help farmers get better prices for their produce as it provides a platform and roots out middlemen, who pocket a large chunk of money which is meant for the farmers, he added.

“Over the last two to three years, the Government has been focusing on organics and millets and it is the commitment of my Government to stand by the farmers and do everything possible for their welfare.  The Government is keen to introduce millets as part of the State’s midday meal scheme, in Government Hostels and in Indira Canteens,” the Chief Minister said. He expressed the hope that the current Organics and Millets Fair will increase awareness through exchange of knowledge and direct interaction between farmers and buyers and other stakeholders. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said, “By organising organics and millets fair, the Government is creating a win-win situation for farmers of the state. New lines of opportunities can be opened up through this trade fair. Millets are being positioned as the ‘smart food’ of the 21st century. Whether it is to address the issue of climate change, temperature rise, increasing health issues, sustainable development or new job opportunities, the answer is millets.”

Karnataka has been torch bearer when it comes to millets and UN has decided to hold 2023 as the International Year of Millets and Karnataka has been the pioneer in encouraging millets. Agriculture Minister N.H. Shivashankara Reddy said, “Karnataka is a pioneer in the organic movement of India. We have already formed 15 regional federations of organic farmers associations in the state and are planning to create a state level organic federation to facilitate processing, packing and marketing which would result in better pricing. Bengaluru is a leading marketing hub for organic and millets in the state and with the Government’s pro-active policies Bengaluru could become a global hub for organics and millets in the near future.”