Focus on sustainable agriculture that is profitable and environmentally friendly, says Minister

With many farmers moving away from agriculture, there is a need to focus on sustainable farming that is both profitable and environmentally friendly, said Minister for Milk and Dairy Development Mano Thangaraj at the valedictory of the Tamil Nadu Climate Smart Dairy Entrepreneurship Programme at the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Tanuvas) in Chennai on Monday.
Mr. Thangaraj said loans would be made available to all farmers across Tamil Nadu, and that plans were being developed to ensure that all cooperative societies operate profitably. He added that a review was under way to optimise the use of the 2,500 veterinarians in the Animal Husbandry Department and to enhance the research capabilities of Tanuvas.
As many as 112 dairy entrepreneurs went through a three-month training in breeding, nutrition, housing, animal health, and milk value addition as part of the Climate Smart Dairy Entrepreneurship Programme conducted by the Kumaraguru Institutions and the Environmental Defense Fund. Shankar Vanavarayar, president of Kumaraguru Institutions, said true rural transformation would begin when farmers became entrepreneurs.
As part of the programme, around 40 entrepreneurs went on a 'Dairy Yatra', a 6,000-km cross-country learning expedition through Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. The participants gained first-hand exposure to innovative dairy practices from the lush pastures of Coimbatore to the arid landscapes of Rajasthan, said Thanammal Ravichandran, programme manager, Kumaraguru Institutions.
Mr. Thangaraj, along with K.N. Narendra Babu, Vice-Chancellor, TANUVAS, presented certificates to the dairy entrepreneurs.

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