Imphal: For the first, World Farmers Day was observed by the Loumee Yaipha Lup (LOYALUP) Kangleipak, a voluntary organization at the Manipur Press Club, Imphal intending to raise the productivity of all corps in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Kakchingtabam Devadutta Sharma, Director of the Agriculture and Soil Conservation Department, Government of Manipur, stated that the government needs to introduce the state agricultural policy with the aim of increasing crop productivity having its time-bound targets and master plan in producing items.
“We have to emulate the style of Assam Agricultural policy,” the Director said.
He called upon the farmers across the state to press the governments at the center and state to introduce an agricultural policy of Manipur for the betterment of the farmers for the coming generations.
“We have to discuss in detail why Manipur with fertile soils and flow of natural water unable to make good products of agricultural and horticultural items whereas Israel and Dubai with less fertile and lack of natural irrigational resources produced more agricultural products and sell them in different parts of the world,” he said.
“Owing to the ongoing ethnic violence that cost the lives of over 230 persons after violence erupted on May 3, 2023, several time-bound horticultural projects appeared in perils without bearing fruits. It is very unfortunate” he added.
He urged the farmers across the state to produce more products with assistance from the government.
Presiding over the function, T Birjit, president of the LOYALUP Kangleipak said that the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) on 14 May 1984 declared this day as World Farmers Day to remind the importance of the farming profession and revive the farmers’ problems all over the world.