BHOPAL : Empowerment of farmers by creating awareness about new agricultural technology and encouraging scientific temper was the need of the hour, said Ranjan Mukherjee, Additional Director General, Prasar Bharati here on Tuesday, while delivering the keynote address at the regional media workshop on “Communicating Science and Bio-safety for Media Personnel” at Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication.
He said that the fruits of agricultural research should reach the fields so that the farming community is benefitted and farm production grows. Media can play a major role in reaching water conservation and irrigation technology and information about high-yielding varieties of seeds to the farmers.
He said that there are 62 Agricultural universities and 642 Krishi Vigyan Kendras in the country and they were doing a commendable work in the field of agricultural research.
The Kisan Channel of Doordarshan, launched by the Prime Minister, aims at educating the farmers about relevant agricultural techniques and providing them scientific information for increasing the yield.
In his inaugural address, Prof. BK Kuthiala, Vice Chancellor of Makhanlal University said that media can play a key role in communicating modern farming techniques to the farmers. The Green Revolution was a big success story in the agriculture sector. Scientific innovation and research should be aimed at the welfare of society. Radio popularised hybrid varieties of rice which were known as ‘Radio Rice’.
