Date:28/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/07/28/stories/2005072801021900.htm

Back A platform to help dissect farm issues

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , July 27

ABOUT 60 farmers in Ranga Reddy district have come together to form the first `Rythu Samakhya', a non-political, non-official organisation, to discuss and find solutions to farm-related problems.

The Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) has agreed to provide the platform and meeting ground for these farmers.

Every month on the first working Monday, farmers would come to CRIDA with their doubts, problems, and issues facing them in agriculture, animal husbandry, rural development activities etc, and discuss them with the agriculture scientists.

The Director of CRIDA, Dr Y.S. Ramakrishna, said solving the problems of farmers in relation to seed, marketing, increasing employment oppor- tunities to rural youth and women were issues that could be handled with the involvement of rural people.

The idea of the Samakhya was floated by Dr S. Narayana Swamy, Professor of Agronomy, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University.