LUDHIANA, FEBRUARY 24: In view of the shrinking land holdings, development model for the family welfare and economic upliftment of the small and marginal farmers is the need of the hour, said Dr Mangal Singh Sandhu, Director of Agriculture, Punjab, at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), here today.
Addressing the participants at the “Research and Extension Specialists’ Workshop for Kharif Crops,” Dr Sandhu suggested the inclusion of farm-related activities and new crop varieties in the development model. He underlined the need to strengthen the agricultural marketing intelligence centre for updating the knowledge of the framers about their future crops. Stating that the efforts should be made to involve women in agriculture, he said that the women can play a major role in the cultivation of vegetables and pulses along with the home management. Dr Sandhu assured that the State Department of Agriculture will disseminate and transfer the innovative techniques and technologies, designed by the PAU experts, to every nook and corner of the Punjab. The PAU farm literature, carrying useful information about the agriculture and its allied activities, will be distributed in all the districts of the Punjab, remarked he, adding that the seed sellers and pesticide and fertiliser dealers can also play a constructive role in this regard. The Punjab state should be compensated for water resources which have been utilised for food grain production, he added.