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Kalam wants farmers, scientists to partner

President A P J Abdul Kalam on Friday stressed the need for a banking system that facilitated a productive partnership between farmers, agriculture scientists.

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YAVATMAL: President A P J Abdul Kalam on Friday stressed the need for a banking system that facilitated a productive partnership between farmers, agriculture scientists and the government by following a scientific approach to farming.

Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of Amlokchand Mahavidyalaya, Kalam said: "The most important action is to enable farmers to get quality seeds, quality fertilisers and quality pesticides from cooperative societies."

Speaking against the backdrop of unabated suicides by farmers in this region, Kalam said providing quality inputs, strengthening the quality in every step of farming and the adoption of pre-harvest techniques by farmers was very important.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh presided over the function.  Recalling his visit to Bhatinda sometime ago, Kalam said, "I have suggested that farmers in that village start a programme of second Green Revolution in cotton."
    
Elaborating his point, Kalam, who will demit office on July 24, said instead of selling cotton directly in the market, the farmers should add value to the cotton by making yarn, clothes and apparel in the villages and then market these products at the national and international level.

Kalam said this model will lift farmers from suicidal tendencies and lead them towards prosperity.

He called on the authorities of Amlokchand Mahavdiyalaya and Dr Punjabrao Deshmukh Agriculture University in Akola, bankers and district officials to replicate a successful experiment among the cotton-growing farmers in Yavatmal district.

He opined that a collaborative venture for rural development can be facilitated by students and faculty members of the college, where he spent nearly 45 minutes.

Referring to employment opportunities, Kalam said there has been a substantial growth in the higher education system and the country is producing three million graduates a year.

Just 10 to 15 per cent of graduates opt for research and teaching, while the remaining 85 per cent seek employment.

However, the employment generation system is not in a position to absorb all these graduates and this leads to an increase in the number of educated unemployed year after year, he said.

"We need higher education backed by employment opportunities. A multi-pronged strategy is needed to make education more attractive and simultaneously create employment potential," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Deshmukh lauded the achievements of Amlokchand Mahavidyalaya.

Mp Vijay Darda, chairman of the Vidya Prasarak Mandal that runs the college, welcomed Kalam and presented a memento to him. Maharashtra Ministers Dilip Walse-Patil and Manohar Naik were present on the occasion.

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