With agriculture facing the challenge of climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a national conference on sustainable agriculture in Sikkim.
With agriculture facing the challenge of climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a national conference on sustainable agriculture in Sikkim.
Among various other issues, the ministry of agriculture has listed formulating a liberal model law on leasing of farm land to boost investment in agriculture.
The conference will take place against the backdrop of the prospect of the adverse impact of relatively higher temperatures in the ongoing sowing season. Union agriculture secretary Siraj Hussain on Friday said that the situation is not yet panicky even though he noted that the next two to three days would be critical. “Unfortunately, there were unseasonal rains and untimely rains in the last 2-3 seasons. Now, we are facing higher-than-normal temperature. There is no need to panic. We hope in the next 2-3 days, the temperature will come down,” Mr Hussain said.
The conference in Sikkim will be attended by Mr Modi, which would also see participation by a number of states.
Briefing the media, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh said, “The three-day national conference on sustainable agriculture and farmers’ welfare and the Sikkim organic festival will be held together at Gangtok.” The ministry of agriculture, while listing the agenda of the conference, on Friday listed framing a liberal law on leasing of farm land.
An expert group set up by Niti Aayog on land leasing has outlined seven steps, including legalisation of land leasing, removal of adverse possession clause in the land laws of various states and enabling tenants to avail short-term credit and other services based on a simple lease agreement. Five technical groups at the national conference will discuss sustainability through organic farming and soil health management.
