National seminar on pulses in MP today to push India towards self-reliance
Bhopal, Feb 7
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, will on Saturday chair the National Pulses Conference at the Food Legumes Research Platform in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district of Amlaha, aimed at accelerating India's push towards 'self-reliance' in pulses.
The day-long event, scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m., on Saturday, will be attended by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav as the special guest.
Agriculture Ministers from major pulses-producing states, including Odisha, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, have confirmed their participation in the conference.
The conference will focus on the 'National Mission for Pulses Self-Reliance', with detailed deliberations on increasing production and productivity, improving seed quality, value addition in pulses and enhancing farmers' income.
"Participants will include scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, farmers, farmer producer organisations, seed producers, policymakers and industry representatives," officials said.
During the programme, Union Minister Chouhan and Chief Minister Yadav will jointly inaugurate state-of-the-art research laboratories and training facilities at FLRP, a premier centre dedicated to pulses research.
Union Minister Chouhan will also inspect ongoing field trials and interact directly with farmers to understand ground-level challenges.
A key highlight will be the launch of the dedicated 'Pulses Mission portal', which will serve as a digital platform for real-time monitoring of production, procurement and distribution under the mission.
Improved high-yielding varieties of pigeon pea, chickpea, lentil and other pulses developed by ICAR institutes will be formally released and distributed to progressive farmers during the event.
Speaking ahead of the conference, officials said the initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' in pulses, prosperous farmers and a protein-secure nation.
India currently imports a significant quantity of pulses despite being the largest producer globally, and the mission targets complete self-sufficiency by 2027 through area expansion, productivity enhancement and better price realisation for farmers.
The Sehore conference is expected to finalise a time-bound action plan involving Central and state governments to achieve these ambitious targets.
— IANS
Reader Comments
A digital portal for monitoring is a great step forward. Transparency in procurement and distribution can prevent middlemen from exploiting farmers. My father is a farmer in Bihar, and he often complains about not getting the right price for his lentils. Hope this mission changes that.
Self-reliance in pulses by 2027 is an ambitious target. While the conference sounds good on paper, the real test is implementation. We've seen many such 'missions' before. The key is consistent policy support and ensuring states work together. Fingers crossed this time it's different.
As a nutritionist, I'm very happy to see this focus. Pulses are our primary source of plant-based protein. Making them affordable and available will directly improve public health. Releasing improved varieties is excellent, but we also need awareness campaigns on their nutritional benefits.
Interesting read. Investing in agricultural research and modern facilities is always a positive sign for a growing economy. The direct interaction with farmers to understand challenges is a good approach. Hope the outcomes are data-driven and sustainable.
With all due respect to the effort, I hope this isn't just another photo-op for ministers. We need less talk and more action on the ground. Water scarcity and climate change are big threats to pulse production. The plan must address these issues concretely. Jai Kisan.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.