Say govt must appoint 'mitras' to guide farmers
MAPUSA
Demanding prohibition of conversion of orchard land and paddy fields for non-agricultural use, the Siolim-Marna gram sabha on Sunday proposed re-mapping of all the fields in the village using drone technology.
The villagers also suggested that the government should appoint students who pass out from the Goa Agriculture College as “agriculture mitras” in all community farming clubs so as to guide the farmers with technology, soil testing, seed/crop utilisation in different seasons.
“Agricultural land lying fallow should be handed over to the government on lease and used as an educational field for students in the school of the village by teaching them about cultivation methods and marks should be awarded to students who opt for a new subject introduced at SSCE/HSSCE level,” said Gregory D’Souza, a resident of Siolim-Marna.
The villagers placed their suggestions/proposals at the gram sabha meeting to be forwarded to the government to frame the new Agriculture Policy.
The locals further said that the agriculture department should take the initiative to form farming clubs in order to establish a farming community in different areas by taking the local comunidade (owner) and tenants into confidence, besides suggesting a close coordination between the agriculture department, field functionaries and the research institute.
D’Souza suggested that the central government should allocate 30 per cent of the funds from th 15th Finance Commission to agriculture while preparing the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) of the village.
“How the funds can be utilised should be specified by the Agriculture Mitra in consultation with the Director of Agriculture Department,” he said.
It was suggested that the bio-diversity committee of the village should be able to work and support the farming community club.
The villagers also said that the accounts of the farming community clubs should be audited annually.
The gram sabha also wanted the government to identify companies which could tie up with a farming club so as to be able to package the agriculture products and brand them for sale.
It was also suggested that the local panchayat should be empowered to take action against irregularities on change of land use within its jurisdiction.
A local, Uddesh Pangam suggested the government should help the farmers to fence their fields so as to avoid cattle entering the fields and destroying crops.
