Thursday 26 February 2015

Improving Agricultural Productivity and Livelihoods in Eastern UP

IRADe ,New Delhi organized this two day workshop in Lucknow on improving  agricultural productivity and livelihoods in Eastern Uttar Pradesh .I was the chief guest for this workshop, starting  on February 27,2015(Friday).Here below is what I spoke there.
                     I welcomed Dr.Kirit Parikh ,Chairman , IRADe , Dr. Jyoti Parikh , ED, IRADe, Mr. Abhay Gandhe , Senior Programme Officer,Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Allied Trusts,Mumbai.Dr.Ramesh Chand,Director,National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research,ICAR , New Delhi.I congratulated TATA TRUST for  getting the vision  prepared for the  development of 28 districts of eastern UP .I congratulated IRADe  for having prepared the vision document as well as the district reports of the three districts of  Bahraich , Kushinagar and Shravasti..I welcomed all the NGOs working on the project as partners..
                     UP government is already in dialogue with Tata trusts for signing an MOU .Such an MOU will help Tata trust  to get suitable support from state government, State Agriculture universities, and other agencies, and also will help in formulation of policies for enhancing productivity and livelihoods in eastern UP.Vision document will go a long way in the development of eastern UP.
                    Due to inadequate staff and other constraints, government machinery is not in a position to reach interior villages ,often .With the involvement of Tata trust and partner NGOs , we hope ,we will get grass roots penetration and perspective.   In Jaica assisted  "UP participatory Forest Management and poverty Alleviation Project"   , we have found that results are good when partner NGOs work in close collaboration with JFMCs ,EDCs and Self Help Groups. We are happy that Tata trust has taken a lead in financing such a project now in eastern UP.
                      Vision document talks about Best Partner approach ,NGO-NGO linkages  and issues.The way forward mentions generally about policy changes required.It identifies areas to be explored like renewable energy and power,organic farming , market linkages, new technology in agriculture,farm mechanisation, improving credit in eastern UP, and post harvest management.
                We are in the process of making an agri vision 2025 for UP , and I hope , this vision document prepared for eastern UP will set the trend.
                Finally , words like cooperation, coordination, convergence , collaboration and partnerships are used very freely , but in real life , these need hard work and intelligent approach, to actually materialize for development.   

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