ICAR to invest Rs 2300 cr on farm sector in 2010-11

"Now every state is coming up well in the agricultural sector, with many touching close to about 2.8 per cent. However, our annual target agricultural growth rate is about 4 per cent, and we will be spending Rs 2,300 crore on in 2010-11," ICAR Director General Dr S Ayyappan told PTI.

The initiatives under the programme include gearing up to meet new challenges in climate change, Public-Private partnership projects and programmes to make more people take to agriculture as a livelihood.

"We are working deeply in all aspects in the country on climate change," he said.
The Public-Private Partnership initiative will benefit both sectors, besides the farmers.
"More emphasis on innovation and interaction between the two sectors may result in more synergy among them," he said.

To lure more people to take up agriculture as livelihood, various initiatives like farmers' training and capacity building for more innovative agricultural practices have been chalked out. "We are also trying to bring them to higher stage by identifying innovators in each district and giving them awards at the national level," he said.