10 lakh farmers to be trained in 'million farmers school' in UP

To encourage the use of modern farming techniques, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is planning to start "the million farmers school", under which more than 10 lakh farmers of the state will be trained.

"More than 10 lakh farmers of the state will be imparted training pertaining to modern farming techniques at the million farmers school, so that they can not only improve the production and productivity of crops, but eventually are able to increase their income," UP agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi said in a statement.

He added that the first five-day-long session will commence on December 5 in which farmers from more than 15,000 villages will take part.

In the programme, which will be held on December 5 throughout the state, agriculture experts will interact with farmers and give them tips to improve the health of the soil, Shahi said.

The state government wants that by March 2018, all the farmers have a soil health card, he added.

The minister also mentioned that apart from boosting farming mechanism in the state, information pertaining to animal husbandry, fisheries, poultry, gardening and horticulture will also be disseminated to the farmers, so that they can increase their income.