Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu presented the 7th M.S. Swaminathan Award to Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor V. Praveen Rao at an event here on Wednesday.
Mr. Rao was selected for the award for 2017-19 under ‘agricultural research, teaching, extension and administration’, for his contribution of world’s largest micro-irrigation projects, covering an area of 0.9 million hectares.
The biennial award was constituted by retired ICAR – Indian Council of Agricultural Research Employees Association (RICAREA) and Nuziveedu Seeds Limited. It carried a prize of ₹2 lakh and a citation.
Mr. Naidu, complimenting Mr. Rao for advancing for the cause of agricultural communities, said more scientists and policy makers should come up with similar efforts to help small and marginal farmers.
He said sustainable incomes for farmers would be possible if allied sectors of agriculture, such as dairy, pisciculture, horticulture etc., are promoted. And through right policies, farmers should be encouraged to grow crops that are in demand rather than crops that are available in excess, he said.
Minister for Agriculture S. Niranjan Reddy participated in the event.
