AP BJP President Recommends Climate-Resilient Farming Due to El Niño

Andhra Pradesh BJP president P.V.N. Madhav on Sunday urged farmers to prepare for the challenges posed by the emerging Super El Niño phenomenon, warning that erratic rainfall and water scarcity could threaten Kharif production and food security if preventive measures are not taken.

Addressing the BJP Kisan Morcha state executive committee meeting at Amaravati on occasion of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, Madhav paid tributes to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the 1999 war, saying farmers were the nation's "second soldiers" who safeguard India's food security. He called for a shift from water-intensive paddy to millets, pulses, and other alternative crops, besides promoting efficient water use and scientific farming with guidance from agricultural experts and Krishi Vigyan Kendras.

The state BJP president said value addition is essential for improving farm incomes. In this regard, he suggested processing Totapuri mangoes, bananas, and cashew by-products for domestic and export markets. He highlighted central schemes, such as PM Fasal Bima Yojana, PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and Soil Health Cards.

Madhav announced the holding of a massive convention attended by 5,000 young farmers, besides constitution of village-level committees to spread awareness about the centre’s welfare programmes.

AP BJP Kisan Morcha president Chigurupati Kumaraswamy said chilli farmers are suffering due to poor prices owing to the grip of brokers, particularly in Nellore district. Despite several welfare schemes, farmers are not receiving fair returns, he said. Kumaraswamy underlined that agriculture has become so unviable that many farmers no longer want their children to take up farming.

Kisan Morcha national general secretary Shambhu Kumar said the NDA government has substantially increased the agriculture budget and strengthened farmer welfare through PM-Kisan and other initiatives. He maintained that agriculture remains the backbone of India's economy. He called for bridging the gap between farmers and the government through greater awareness of central schemes.