MP News: Farmers Produce Food And Also Provide Energy And Fuel, Says Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said farmers do not just provide food, but they also provide fuel, aviation fuel, energy, tar, and hydrogen. Gadkari made the statement at the concluding ceremony of a three-day Krishi Mela (agricultural fair) in Raisen on Monday.

According to Gadkari, aviation fuel is made from ethanol, which is used to fly planes. "Water should be stored under the ground the way money is deposited in a bank. Everyone must work to slow the flow of running water, stop the slowly moving water, and store the stagnant water to quench the thirst of the earth," he said.

Gadkari noted that increasing crop production is not enough; storage and processing are also necessary. He added that farmers must remember the future of agriculture depends on AI, weather stations, drones, nanotech, urea, and modern technology, appealing to them to opt for technology-based farming.

Integrated farming is the way forward: Shivraj Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the government is laying emphasis on integrated farming to help agriculturists earn more from small landholdings. Plans are also afoot to develop Raisen into a horticulture hub, Chouhan said, adding that a 'Beej Gram' (seed village) will come up in each block.

The Government will set up a task force to monitor the farming roadmap and a coordinating committee at the national level. The roadmap will inform farmers about crops suitable for specific areas. Chouhan appealed to farmers to make ID cards to access farming benefits.