Agroforestry a viable option to replace rice: Punjab’s Principal Secretary Forests
Wanting to promote crop diversification through the adoption of agroforestry in Punjab, Vikas Garg, Principal Secretary, Forests and Wildlife, Punjab chaired separate meetings with the representatives of Tree Growers Association and wood based industries at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). RK Mishra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, was the guest of honour. Senior officials, namely Saurav Gupta, Chief Conservator of Forests (Development); NS Randhawa, Chief Conservator of Forests; Ajit Kulkarni, Conservator of Forests; Dr NPS Benipal, Chief Agriculture Officer, and Amneet Singh, District Forest Officer, also attended the meet.
City Air News
Jun 26, 2023 08:27
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Ludhiana, June 26, 2023: Wanting to promote crop diversification through the adoption of agroforestry in Punjab, Vikas Garg, Principal Secretary, Forests and Wildlife, Punjab chaired separate meetings with the representatives of Tree Growers Association and wood based industries at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). RK Mishra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, was the guest of honour. Senior officials, namely Saurav Gupta, Chief Conservator of Forests (Development); NS Randhawa, Chief Conservator of Forests; Ajit Kulkarni, Conservator of Forests; Dr NPS Benipal, Chief Agriculture Officer, and Amneet Singh, District Forest Officer, also attended the meet.
Enunciating concerns over depleting natural resources and descending farm income, Mr Garg urged all the stakeholders to work together to achieve the goal of diversification that was required foremost to address the contemporary agricultural challenges. “Agroforestry is a viable option to replace rice in Punjab,” he observed. while making a call for the fast-paced adoption of forestry for sustainable income as well as agriculture.
Randhawa gave valuable suggestions to promote agroforestry.
Harcharan Singh Grewal, President of Tree Growers Association, shared the problems of the farmers and demanded to fix minimum support price of forest trees to avoid fall in prices of the timber in the future.
Another progressive farmer Harmohanjit Singh sought commensurate land reforms for tree growers on the pattern of horticulture.
Naresh Tiwari and Inderjit Singh Sohal shared the future plans of the wood based industries and sought to declare the wood raised on farmers’ fields as an agriculture produce.
Dr GPS Dhillon, Head, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; Dr RIS Gill, Estate Officer and forestry expert; Dr Baljit Singh and Dr Navneet Kaur, experts of agroforestry, PAU, shared their views and interacted with the farmers and industry representatives.
Earlier, Dr Gursahib Singh Manes, Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanization and Bioenergy), welcomed the dignitaries, farmers and the industrialists.
Gupta, while proposing a vote of thanks, assured to make a comprehensive plan for the promotion of agroforestry in the state.
