Interface meet of State Agriculture, allied departments with ICAR Manipur Centre held

IMPHAL, May 17
A one-day “Interface Meeting of Agriculture and Allied Sector Departments of Manipur State Government with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for Formulation of Research Projects” was held today at ICAR Manipur Centre.
As per a press release from ICAR Imphal, P Vaiphei, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Govt of Manipur, M Joy Singh, IAS, Commissioner Agriculture, Govt of Manipur; H Gyan Prakash, IAS, Commissioner, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services;  M Harekrishna, IAS, Commissioner, Fishery, Govt of Manipur and Vungi Guite, General Manager NABARD attended the programme as the presidium members.
The main objective of the interface meet was to find out the problems and challenges in agriculture and allied sectors of the State so that ICAR can take up need based research projects to address the issues.
During his deliberations P Vaiphei expressed that Manipur has a deficit in food grain and livestock production and needs to increase production and productivity to meet the requirements so as to improve State economy along with employment generation.
Also there are many other issues like poppy plantation, etc which needs to be addressed, he added.
The interface meet was also attended by Director, Department of Agriculture; Director, Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation; Project Director, Manipur Organic Mission Agency; Director, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services; Joint Director, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change; Deputy Director Research CAU, Heads of KVKs, officials of line departments, representatives of FPOs and farmers attended the meeting.
During the meeting, various researchable issues and critical viewpoints on horticulture, organic farming, agriculture and natural resource management, forestry and jhuming, environment and climate change, fisheries, livestock and poultry were thoroughly discussed.
Also problems on organic cultivation practices, new crop varieties, animal diseases, fisheries production enhancement, oil palm cultivation impact were also discussed as research problems which needs to be addressed, added the press release.