Food production should be enhanced to meet the demand of the growing population, said Union Minister of State for Health S. Gandhi Selvan, recently.
Participating at the Mupperum Vizha in which Raja Rajan 1000 method of paddy cultivation, precision farming and distribution of agricultural inputs were conducted at Senthamangalam near here recently, the Minister said that 50 per cent of the world population was depending on rice as their main food.
Reduction
Owing to the reduction in cultivable area, the per-hectare yield had to be increased.
“The Raja Rajan 1000 method of paddy cultivation, which could boost paddy yield by two times, should be followed by all paddy-growing farmers,” he stressed.
Namakkal Collector S. Madhumathi said that if the district received normal rainfall, more than 20,000 hectares would be covered under paddy crop this year.
The Raja Rajan 1000 method would cover 10,800 hectares. She added that the farmers were getting higher yield in precision farming.
Joint Director of Agriculture S. Sivaraj explained the Raja Rajan 1000 method of cultivation by Power Point presentation and video clippings.
The Sendamangalam Assistant Director of Agriculture R. Varadarajan, said that the event would create greater impact among farmers.
Sendamangalam MLA K. Ponnusamy appreciated the efforts taken by the agricultural department to popularise the Raja Rajan 1000 method of cultivation among farmers. More than 1,000 farmers participated in the function.
Earlier, the Minister witnessed the ‘Conaweeder' operation.
In addition to this, he also distributed agricultural inputs to 560 farmers to the tune of Rs. 42 lakh.
