File photo of former Planning Commission member and water conservationist Dr Mihir Shah. (Image : Youtube screengrab)
Calling for a reorganisation of the agriculture sector and crop diversification, Shah said, “We must think of agriculture as an enterprise. The green revolution pushed the growing of water-intensive crops like rice, wheat and sugarcane. These crops use 90 per cent of the water that the country consumes. Over the last 50 years, we have incentivised the farmer to produce these crops.”
Speaking at the India Habitat Centre during a discussion organised by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), Shah said the government must readjust its approach to farming by incentivising the cultivation of pulses and millets.
“One way of doing it is by introducing pulses and millets in national food schemes like the midday meal plans,” he suggested, adding that the government should also come up with ways to reduce the overall cost of cultivation to the farmers. Read More
