ANGRAU Vice-Chancellor A Padma Raju appreciating Ankapur village for its cooperative efforts and agricultural development...

Farmers should adopt new methods of farming and technology to turn agriculture into a viable enterprise, said Government chief whip G.V. Ramana Reddy. Addressing the farmers at the three-day AP-TEC exhibition and conference here at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) on Friday, Mr Ramana Reddy said that there was stiff resistance for mechanisation of farming in the past but now farmers were using tractors, harvesters, cultivators and other equipment. “As time changes, farmers should also adopt changing technologies to benefit. Besides making use of government interventions, the farmers should also come forward with their own initiatives,” he said. The chief whip explained that new varieties of seeds were being developed which require less water and yield more. Similarly, the farmers should also change the crop patterns taking the help of scientists to suit the soil, water availability and weather conditions rather routinely opting for cotton or paddy. District Collector G Kishan exhorted the farmers to experiment with the new crops and improve their awareness levels. The farmers should observe the market conditions and accordingly change their crops. “Farmers should show that agriculture is profitable avocation. If not the new generation of people will shy away from it resulting in crisis,” he said explaining the initiatives being taken by the state government for the welfare of farmers. ANGRAU Vice-Chancellor A Padma Raju urged the farmers to form into groups to acquire machinery that was still costly in the country. The university had been requesting the companies to come out with small machines to suit the small land holdings of Indian farmers. “One farmer cannot buy a huge machine. But if you form into groups, you can benefit collectively. In Ankapur village of Nizamabad, the farmers succeeded through cooperative effort. Such practices can be replicated everywhere,” he pointed out. RARS associate director D Vishuvardhan Reddy and many experts attended the conference. About 60 stalls displaying new farm equipment were put up at the venue.