[1]The finance minister K.M. Mani’s heavy dose of technology in his budget for the revival of the agricultural sector is a welcome step, say hi-tech farmers.
In his budget, Mani recommended promoting high-tech farming, micro-irrigation, the use of micro-nutrients and hybrid seeds.
The minister proposed the introduction of hi-tech agriculture, including greenhouse cultivation, in all panchayats in the state and allocated Rs 45 crore for this greenfield initiative.
Under the project, each panchayat will have three such greenhouse cultivation farms.
This new way of promoting the ailing agricultural sector and boosting the morale of the farming community is a paradigm shift in the way the sector has been looked at.
However, these new farm initiatives suggested by Mani, which focus more on hi-tech and precision farming than crop insurance and traditional large scale farming, will have to prove their worth, say a cross-section of farmers.
Former agriculture minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran also questioned the proposal and wanted to know whether the decision to promote hi-tech agriculture was based on any studies.
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