Agriculture in Koraput -a new hope

KORAPUT: Agriculture in Koraput is by default organic , Arabinda Padhee , Director of Agriculture department said . He was talking to the Agriculture officials from Koraput , Malkangiri , Rayagada and Nowrangpur districts in the special circuit house of Koraput. The tribal communities of the region with their rich traditional practices have been maintaining the organic value of the soil compared to that in the other parts of the state. Hence the drive to promote organic farming would begin from these districts , he said .

The agricultural farms at Semiliguda , Rayagada and Umerkote would be the sites of research work and fields of demonstration for the organic farming . Koraput hill tract , being the place of origin for rice , traditionally rich varieties of species of rice like Kalajeera would be preserved as a part of bio-diversity conservation in the region , he added. Farmers from the district and other places would be brought for exposure visits . For this these farms will be upgraded by adding various farm machineries in addition to the existing ones . Funds from BRG and NREGA would be drawn for the purpose . The farmers will also be encouraged to go for mechanized farming in their fields .

The farm machinery of these farms would be made available to the farmers on Custom hiring . The price for such transaction would be kept low to facilitate the poor farmers , he said . Expressing his concern over the long standing vacancies in the department and farms the Director has assured to take up the mater with the state government .

Incentive for the officials working in his department were equally vulnerable to the Naxalites and hence he would discuss with the government in this regard , he assured . Later speaking to the media he said that a new agricultural policy was on the cards and would be brought out soon as a part of giving priority to agriculture in the state .
(EOM)