HYDERABAD, 24 October 2016 : Hyderabad based Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) organized a one day Brainstorming workshop under NICRA on 'Policy Farming for Up-scaling Farm Machinery Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs)' recently.
The institute is part of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) headquartered in Pusa, New Delhi.
The main objective of this workshop is to prepare a policy brief for operationalization and establishment of CHCs in India for the benefit of small and marginal famers.
Dr Ch. Srinivasa Rao, Director, ICAR-CRIDA highlighted the need for farm mechanization particularly in the context of climate change, reduced sowing window, and implementing various climate resilient technologies at ground level.
Focus is needed how CHC’s are more useful for small holder farmers and policy brief need to focus on this, Rao stressed.
Y. Madhusudana Reddy, IFS, Vice-chairman and Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Agro-Industries Development Organization, Hyderabad opined that the CHCs should be operated in Public Private Partnership mode with service motive.
The workshop was attended by different stake holders which include delegates from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare from Government of India, New Delhi, officials from Department of Agriculture Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat States, representatives from NGO’s from Maharashtra and Karnataka, officials from Krishi Vikas Kendra (KVKs) located in Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh states.
Farmer Members from different states who are operating custom hiring centres, farm machinery industrialists, senior officials from CRIDA, nodal officers from various Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI) from Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan states, scientists from National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE) and delegates from state agricultural universities were also present.