Reforming Agriculture & Horticulture, Feeding Generation
- Agriculture provides food for humans, feed for animal, raw materials for industry, environmental services like carbon sequestration, increasing oxygen supply, protection of soil, etc. The combined agriculture, horticulture and floriculture sector used to be the backbone of state’s economy. Not only this, some of the tribes are culturally associated with paddy cultivation, dry land farming and large cardamom cultivation. It is well evidenced fact that Sikkim lost its nearly 30-40% of paddy and fertile agriculture land ,nearly 90% hardworking farming population and 70-80% productivity in agriculture, horticulture ,vegetables and floricultures since 1994. Though it seems an impossible task to revive the lost glory of our agriculture, but determination with honesty, hard work and perseverance pay off at the end (kosis karney wale ki kabhi haar nahi hoti hain). Sustainable agriculture shall be the master key to overall development of Sikkim .Under the present agriculture scenario in Sikkim, agricultural practices and technologies must go for the paradigm shift from downturned production oriented to profit oriented sustainable farming. Agri-industry shall be recognised as the backbone of rural economy .Our Government shall formulate Comprehensive agriculture, horticulture and floriculture policy to ring about Second Green Revolution in Sikkim.
- There must be policy on sustainable Development of Mountain Traditional Agriculture.
- There is mantras, uttam kheti, madhaym bepaar ani neech chaakari (best is farming, business is medium and servitude is the least desirable). In order to motivate and encourage the citizens in farming, there shall have Mission: Kheti Garau, Samridhi Banau.
- State shall own more land for farming so as to meet the requirement of food security of Sikkim. Off –Season paddy and vegetable cultivation and development of floriculture and orchards shall be developed and promoted.
- There shall have schemes and programs like land development, land terracing, habitat management, irrigation, etc. for agriculture purposes.
- There shall have land Reforms Policy and Tenancy Rights of Farmers.
- The industries that have built upon destroying the paddy and fertile agriculture land shall have to pay annual compensation for the loss of future food services by that and the fund received from this shall be utilized in developing the state owned land farms for productions.
- There shall have water using policy to avail water for agriculture land during dry season. The best irrigation system with uninterrupted supply of electric power shall be installed.
- There shall have the regulations on farming land for farming purposes.
- There shall have guiding principles in farming strategic planning for developing Agri-Industry/Food Processing Industry in Sikkim.
- There shall have Development Boards to develop, design and carry out business in industrially viable agricultural, horticultural, floricultural and medicinal plat species products.
- Agriculture clinic shall be established in all districts.
- There shall have committee on Agri-Industry involving all stakeholders for making road map in implementing, monitoring, evaluating and management services of Agri-Industry.
- There shall have reforms in traditional /conventional farming though farmer –centric development of technology and innovation.
- There shall have the Directorate for Research, Training and Monitoring in the Sectors.
- There shall have the legislation on State Agricultural and Risk Management Involved for streamlining support and services to reduce the State’s deficit and repeat the outdated /non-feasible policies of the incumbent government.
- There shall have Food for Thought Program to provide quality or nutritious food and fresh fruits and vegetables to all the citizens to protect their health, access quality life and save taxpayers money for health treatment .Government schools shall be provided with such food and vegetables for mid-day meal.
- Traditional agricultural practices and indigenous foods, vegetables, pulses, fruits, etc. are resilient to the ongoing phenomenon of climate change. The food system of indigenous people can help expand the existing narrow food base and diversify diets. There shall have policy on promoting, preserving and protecting indigenous traditional agricultural practices and food systems.
- There shall have programs on adapting and mitigating to climate change phenomenon.
- There shall have conservation of diversity of bet practices of food producing agro-ecosystems.
- Conservation of agroforestry systems and agro pastoralism in high altitudes shall be promoted and strengthened.
- There shall have promotion of high value crop production, home garden, pollinator species, dry –land farming.
- There shall have Auction Centres for Sikkim Products at Melli(for south and west Sikkim)and Rangpo (for north and East Sikkim)
- There shall have landscape designing establishment of agriculture heritage sites, establishment of community seeds banks in villages, in situ and ex-situ conservation programs, etc.
- There shall have programs and schemes for proper land and soil management in Sikkim.
- Recognition and support of family farming shall be provided .farmland with a farming house, equipment seeds and other necessary facilities shall be provided to farming families.
- Scientific way of doing farming combining traditional agriculture al practices shall be developed and promoted .A sustainable number of man power shall be trained for scientific farming and they shall provide all construction and training services to farmers.
- All the necessary rural infrastructure and other facilities such as establishments of nurseries for mass production of horticultural and floricultural crops ;feed production ,seed farm and nurseries ,pre-packing units for cult flowers and fruits ,etc. shall be improved ,developed and strengthened.
- Establishment and development of fruit and vegetable processing units , technology for reuse of agricultural wastes, primary processing and extraction units, collection centres ,laboratories for production of quality planning materials ,training centre, state farm/demonstration –centric farms ,regulated markets ,etc .shall be done.
- Agriculture productivity shall be increase within a few years.
- There shall have reforms in agriculture inputs production and distribution system, seed production of local crops; quality and timely delivery from certified suppliers, etc.
- There shall have policy on Agri-Products Marketing and Farming Training.
- Specialized centres with all modern market infra structures, like storage, packaging, transport, warehouse, insurance, wholesale farm, retailer outlets services, etc. shall be created for marketing and distribution of farm produce in major areas. There shall have proper marketing strategy.
- There shall have programs like germplasm conservation ;post-harvest engineering and technology services; socio-economic and policy research on sustainable agriculture for poverty reduction; food security; regional, national and international coordination and networking for sustainable agriculture and rural development enhancing capacity of policy makers and senior government officials for proper infra structure development and acquisition of machinery.
- Subsidy on agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizer, electricity, etc.) shall be increased periodically.
- Every year, financial help to the farmer for maintenance and management of the farmlands hall be directly transferred to their bank account.
- Enhancement facilities and services through Research and Development shall be provided to all farmers.
- Agricultural processing sector shall be developed and strengthened at village level. There shall have development of market infrastructure: primary agro processing such as fruit juice unit, chilly and ginger drying, soya processing unit, potato chips marketing unit, etc.
- Manufacturing units of agriculture told and equipment shall be established.
- Minimum support prices (MSP) for identified major crops hall be provided to farmers.
- There shall have farm development programs (agriculture and animal) in the abandoned agriculture land by the government using the services of MGNREGA workforce and other sources.
- State Government shall provide 100% subsidy to farmers in all the schemes of central Government.
- Our Government shall pay 3% Bank interest timely on Kishan Credit Card holders.
- Our Government shall wave off loans up to 5 lakh taken by farmers.
- There shall have farm Development Program for the bureaucrats (Bhutan Model)
- Food warehouse shall be constructed in all major areas.
- Farmers inputs support card/Farmers card shall be given to genuine farmers.
- Farmer friendly credit policy shall be formulated.
- Supports like subsidy, reservation, pension insurance, contingency etc. shall be provided to farming family.
- Crop insurance policy shall be formulated for major crops.
- There shall have Agri-Business centre.
- World Agri –Fair shall be held yearly to establish marketing chain.
- World market survey shall be done for marketable products on agriculture so that Sikkim can export its products to different countries.
- Agriculture waste less shall be reused.
- Interest Free Loans shall be provided to farmers in the time of need, to start new agricultural farmland, or any agricultural related small-scale industry.
- Funding for the agricultural research shall be earmarked to increase the production of agricultural products.
- Access to the nearest market by road to sale the agricultural products shall be provided.
- A special place in the nearest market shall be provided to the village farmers to their products.
- Start up loans shall be provided to the young and energetic farmers.
- License for producing special kind of vegetables and agricultural products shall be provided to the farmers so that they can get their own name in the international markets.
- Agriculture census shall be done periodically.
- Agriculture Productivity Index shall be prepared for each GPU.
- There shall have proper quarantine system in place at Rangpo and Melli Check posts.
- Food Safety and Service Laboratories shall be established.
- All man power shall be recruited from Agriculture, Horticulture and allied background in the Agriculture/Horticulture Cadre services.