New Delhi, July 16: Government today said the interests of the farming community would not be compromised in attempts to integrate the Indian economy with the rest of the world on issues before the WTO. "Measures will be taken to safeguard the interests of the farming community and we would not compromise on them," Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh said at the 74th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) here.
Though the Indian economy is re-aligning itself with the new WTO economic order, the interests of the domestic farming community would be preserved at all costs, he said.
The minister also announced forming a task force under the chairmanship of state minister Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav to speed up the activities of agriculture technology management agency.
"The taskforce would submit its report within three months and suggest how technology can be taken down the line so that a farmer derives benefit from it," he said.
On the targeted four per cent annual growth rate for the sector in the 10th plan, Singh said this can be achieved only by focussing on a higher foodgrains level with a continuous thrust on research and development activities.
Stressing on the need to extend latest technological developments to farmers, he said, "This is needed for transforming our agriculture sector".
He asked the apex R&D body ICAR to promote the concept of bio-technology, bio-farming and bio-fuels at grass root levels to ensure a sustainable future agriculture growth. Bureau Report