HYDERABAD: To overcome shortage and enhance production of oil seeds and pulses, the agriculture department has sought technical assistance and expertise of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) this Kharif season.At the request of state government, FAO officials were in city on Tuesday and held day-long discussions with agriculture minister Kanna Lakshminarayana and officials, on providing technical assistance and expertise to agriculture department staff and officials.The production of oil seeds and pulses, such as Red gram, Green gram, Black gram and Bengal gram are abysmally low in the state and in the country too. This has prompted the government to import huge quantities from various countries using precious foreign exchange.The officials told Express that the technical assistance programme will focus on offering expertise to propagate modern and efficient technologies in oil seeds production, particularly groundnut. Focus will also be to expand the genetic base and diversity of crop so as to increase its commercial viability, to link farmers to improved technologies, latest research and to tackle problems such as low-pegging intensity and high infestation of pests and viral diseases. And to introduce better techniques to help farmers get a golden harvest.What Exactly will FAO do? The FAO will provide training in efficient irrigation technologies to bring about increasing yields. Upgradation of knowledge on pests and pesticide management, farmers’ field-approach, school-approach, bio-diversity and ecosystem services, drought mitigation strategies, conservation of natural resources and their sustainable usage, productivity-enhancing techniques in major crops, minimising post harvest losses in agriculture and horticulture crops, precision agriculture, etc. With FAO support, agricultural staff will be motivated to take-up challenges of enhancing farm productivity by effective technology transfer.
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