Even as the State government is laying enough emphasis on natural farming techniques and holding State-level workshops for farmers, migration from chemical to natural farming does not seem possible in the immediate future, if the words of the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) Vice-Chancellor Vallabhaneni Damodara Naidu are any indication. For Andhra Pradesh, ANGRAU is the apex body that collects, compiles and collates agricultural data, conducts statistical analysis and research based on various parameters before suggesting to the government its field-level implementation, to be monitored by the Department of Agriculture.
Prof. Naidu, who took over the reins of the varsity recently, made his maiden visit to Sri Venkateswara Agricultural College here on Monday, when he made the observation on employing cow dung and cow urine as manure. He said migration to natural farming would have a telling effect on yield and the farmer would have to lose heavily in the absence of sufficient support from the government. “As the farm output will plummet, the farmer will be forced to sell the produce at a higher rate, which will be affordable only to a select few. Chemical-based fertilisers will continue to be used to maintain the required output,” he explained.
He said that the varsity would explain to the government that it would not only be unviable, but also impossible in the immediate context to ensure total migration to natural farming.He ruled out suggesting natural farming 'for now'.
Prof.Naidu sanctioned ₹12 crore for Agri Business Management at SVAC, ₹4.5 crore for the ladies hostel, ₹61.5 lakh for lab equipment and ₹50 lakh for purchase of computers (to teach basic computer courses for the B.Sc. Students).
“Farm visit for a semester is compulsory for students, which will help them understand the agrarian crisis and and enablethem to take technology to the rural side,” he observed.
Dean of Agriculture T. Ramesh Babu, Director of Research N.V. Naidu, Associate Dean V. Raja Rajeswari, executive council members S.R. Koteswara Rao, I. Bhavani Devi and T. V. Muralinatha Reddy were present.
