PM addressed the 3rd Global Potato Conclave at Gandhinagar, Gujarat through Video Conferencing today. The previous two Global Potato Conferences were organized during 1999, and 2008. The Conclave is being organized by Indian Potato Association (IPA) in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, and ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla and International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru.
Scientists around the world, potato farmers and other stakeholders have gathered for the Global Potato Conclave to discuss the important aspects related to food and nutrition demand in the next few days.
Addressing the Conclave, the Prime Minister said that the highlight of the 3rd conclave is that Potato Conference, AgriExpo and Potato Field Day are all happening at the same time. He also said that it is a commendable effort that 6 thousand farmers are going on field visits on the Field Day.
The Prime Minister said that it is significant that the 3rd Global Potato Conclave is being held in Gujarat, the leading state in Potato production and productivity in the country. He said that while the area under potato cultivation increased by about 20% in India in the last eleven years, it has increased by about 170% in Gujarat during the same period.
The Prime Minister said that this is largely owing to the policy initiatives and decisions which lead to the State using modern methods of agriculture like sprinkler and drip irrigation for cultivation, along with the best cold storage facilities and linkages to the Food Processing Industry. He said today Gujarat has major Potato processing companies in the state and that most of the potato exporters are also based in Gujarat. These have led to the emergence of the state as a major potato hub in the country.
The Prime Minister said that his Government is taking rapid steps towards the goal of doubling the income of farmers by 2022. He added that as a result of the efforts of farmers and the combination of government policy, India is among the top 3 countries in the world in the production of many cereals and other food items. He also listed the steps taken by his Government to promote food processing industries at every level like opening the sector to 100% FDI, helping in value addition and value chain development through PM Kisan Sampada Yojana.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that earlier this month, a new record has also been created by transferring an amount of Rs. 12,000 crores to the bank accounts of 6 crore farmers through direct transfer. He also mentioned that the priority of his Government is to reduce middlemen and other layers between the farmer and the consumer. He said that the government's emphasis is also on promoting agricultural technology-based start ups so that farmers' databases and agri stacks needed for smart and precision agriculture can be used.
The Prime Minister urged the scientists to provide solutions to various issues in Agriculture through modern biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence, Block chain, Drone Technology. He said that the greatest responsibility of the scientific community and policy makers is to see that no one is left hungry or malnourished.
Background:
The 3rd Global Potato Conclave will provide an opportunity to bring all stakeholders at one common platform so that all the issues are discussed and future plans are made involving everyone related to the potato sector. This will be a unique event to expose different stakeholders of the country to the frontiers of knowledge and innovations in potato research. This mega event has three major components; (i) The Potato Conference, (ii) The Agri Expo and (iii) Potato Field Day.
The Potato Conference will be held for 3 days during 28-30 January, 2020. It will have 10 themes out of which 8 themes are based on basic and applied research. The remaining two themes will have special emphasis on potato trade, value chain management and policy issues.
AgriExpo will be organized during 28 to 30 January, 2020, to showcase the status of potato-based industries and trade, processing, seed potato production, biotechnology, public-private partnership in technology transfer and farmers related products etc.
Potato Field Day will be organized on January 31, 2020. This will include demonstration of advancements in potato mechanization, potato varieties and latest technologies.
Major issues that are to crop up are Shortage of Planting Material, Supply Chains, Post-Harvest Losses, needs for enhanced processing, export and diversified utilisation and necessary policy support – viz for production and use of certified seed, for long distance transport and export promotion.
मुझे बताया गया है कि Global Potato Conclave में दुनिया के अनेक देशों से साइंटिस्ट आए हैं, हज़ारों किसान साथी और दूसरे Stakeholders भी जुटे हैं। अगले तीन दिनों में आप सभी पूरे विश्व के Food और Nutrition की डिमांड से जुड़े महत्वपूर्ण पहलुओं पर चर्चा करने वाले हैं: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
इस कॉन्कलेव की खास बात ये भी है कि यहां Potato Conference, AgriExpo और Potato Field Day, तीनों एक साथ हो रहे हैं। मुझे बताया गया है कि करीब 6 हज़ार किसान फील्ड डे के मौके पर खेतों में जाने वाले हैं। ये प्रशंसनीय प्रयास है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
अच्छा ये भी है कि इस बार Potato Conclave दिल्ली से बाहर हो रहा है, हजारों आलू किसानों के बीच हो रहा है। गुजरात में इस कॉन्क्लेव का होना इसलिए भी अहम है क्योंकि, ये राज्य Potato की Productivity के लिहाज़ से देश का पहले नंबर का राज्य है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
साल 2022 तक किसानों की आय दोगुनी करने के लक्ष्य को लेकर तेज़ी से कदम उठाए जा रहे हैं। किसानों के प्रयास और सरकार की पॉलिसी के कॉम्बिनेशन का ही परिणाम है कि अनेक अनाजों और दूसरे खाने के सामान के उत्पादन में भारत दुनिया के टॉप-3 देशों में है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
फूड प्रोसेसिंग से जुड़े सेक्टर को प्रमोट करने के लिए केंद्र सरकार ने भी अनेक कदम उठाए हैं। चाहे इस सेक्टर को 100% FDI के लिए खोलने का फैसला हो या फिर पीएम किसान संपदा योजना के माध्यम से वैल्यू एडिशन और वैल्यू चेन डेवलपमेंट में मदद, हर स्तर पर कोशिश की जा ही है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
इस महीने के शुरुआत में, एक साथ 6 करोड़ किसानों के बैंक खातों में, 12 हजार करोड़ रुपए की राशि ट्रांसफर करके एक नया रिकॉर्ड भी बनाया गया है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
किसान और उपभोक्ता के बीच के Layers और उपज की बर्बादी को कम करना हमारी प्राथमिकता है। इसके लिए परंपरागत कृषि को बढ़ावा दिया जा रहा है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
सरकार का जोर कृषि टेक्नॉलॉजी आधारित स्टार्ट अप्स को प्रमोट करने पर भी है ताकि स्मार्ट और प्रिसिजन एग्रीकल्चर के लिए ज़रूरी किसानों के डेटाबेस और एग्री स्टैक का उपयोग किया जा सके: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
इसके साथ-साथ एग्रीकल्चर सेक्टर में आधुनिक बायोटेक्नॉलॉजी, Artificial Intelligence, Block chain, Drone Technology, ऐसी हर नई टेक्नॉलॉजी का कैसे बेहतर उपयोग हो सकता है, इसको लेकर भी आपके सुझाव और समाधान अहम रहेंगे: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
21st century में भी कोई भूखा और कुपोषित- Malnourished ना रहे, इसकी भी एक बड़ी जिम्मेदारी आप सभी के कंधों पर है। मुझे विश्वास है कि आने वाले 3 दिनों में आप इसी दिशा में गंभीर मंथन करेंगे: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2020
