Adopt modern technologies for higher yields: Jagdish Reddy to farmers
The Minister said that weather conditions and crop diseases also impact crop yield and hence, farmers should adopt alternative methods
Nalgonda: Energy Minister G Jagdish Reddy on Saturday urged farmers to switch over to new cultivation methods from traditional practices and use modern technologies to achieve high yield of crops that would fetch them a good price in the market.
Launching Samhitha Crop Care Clinics that will provide precision farming advisories to farmers at Cherla Gowraram of Kanagal mandal in the district, Jagdish Reddy said that weather conditions and crop diseases also impact crop yield and hence, farmers should adopt alternative methods. “Use modern agriculture technologies to minimise such impacts on crop production,” he advised.
Stating that the soil in the State was suitable to take up cultivation of foodgrains that are consumed by people in 100 counties across the world, the Minister said farmers should also focus on cultivating crops that have high demand in the world market.
“The agriculture sector was completely neglected by successive governments in Telangana in united Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, on coming to power in the newly carved Telangana State, studied the reports of several commissions set up by the Centre and State governments on agriculture sector and took up measures to restore the past glory to the sector,” he said, adding that in addition to focusing on providing irrigation facility to cultivable lands, the State government also launched investment support scheme, Rythu Bandhu, and insurance scheme Rythu Bima for farmers’ welfare. “Rythu Vedikas are also aimed at providing platforms to farmers to come together that would help them in fixing the price for their crops,” he added.
Appreciating the management of Samhitha Crop Care Clinics for coming up with new technologies to help mosambi and lemon farmers, Jagadish Reddy said their efforts would bear fruit only when their new technologies help farmers achieve high production. Crop Care Clinics should also play their role in development of agriculture sector in the state, he added.
Director of Horticulture department L Venkatram Reddy said there was a need to create awareness among farmers on crop management system, which will help them in taking the right decision on which crop should be taken up for cultivation and in what type of soil and weather conditions. The extent of mosambi cultivation had dropped from one lakh acre to 60,000 acre due to various reasons. He has also suggested that Samhitha Crop Care Clinics cover other horticultural crops like mangoes and vegetables cultivation on pandals under their digital platform.
Explaining about the objective of crop care clinics, Chief Executive Officer of Samhitha Crop Care Clinics Dr Gunnamreddy Shyamsunder Reddy said mosambi and lemon crops would be monitored continuously by a team of qualified and experienced agri-professional and there would be three key elements in this system including farmers, field assistants and advisors. Farmers, who wish to improve ease of farming and profitability by following sustainable farming practices should register with Samhitha Citrus system.
“Field assistants will visit the registered farms at scheduled intervals for data collection following systematic protocols. They will capture pests invisible to the naked eye using smartphones that will be attached with micro-lens. Data would also be collected through soil sensors, weather sensors and UAVs. The advisors will analyse all the available information and prepare appropriate advice for the farmers. This information will immediately be sent to the farmers’ mobiles,” he said, adding that the advisory cycles will take pace continuously throughout the cropping season.
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