AMJC’s One Day National Conference Explores on Doubling the Farmers’ Income
Chennai: Agurchand Manmull Jain College, Post-Graduate and Research Department if Economics in association with Indian Economic Association (IEA) organised a one-day National Conference on ‘Doubling of Farmers’ Income: Myth or Reality’. Professor Adya Prasad Pandey, the Conference President of Indian Economic Association was the chief guest of the conference which explored various dimensions of the pivotal goal of doubling farmers’ income. The resource persons for the conference were Dr. Manjula Menon, Professor, Azim Premji University, Bangalore and Dr. Remmiya Rajan (Joint Secretary of IEA, Southern Region) Assistant Professor, Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan College, Kozhikode.
The Conference witnessed 66 research papers by eminent Economics professors and research scholars from other colleges and universities across the nation, presented on the above topic. The conference served as a platform to illuminate strategies and transformative actions initiated by both Central and State Governments. It also focussed on to identify the best policy options for stimulating agricultural growth and to find out the progress made by the State Government in doubling the income levels of farmers of Tamil Nadu.
During the inaugural address, Prof. Adya Prasad Pandey, Conference President of Indian Economic Association, said, “Agriculture has been the backbone of our country’s economy, providing sustenance and livelihood to millions of hardworking individuals. However, the reality is that our farmers have been struggling to make ends meet. Doubling the income of farmers has been a promise made by successive governments, and it is high time we examine the myths and realities surrounding this crucial issue.”
“One myth is that doubling the income of farmers is an impossible task. Some argue that the agricultural sector is inherently volatile and dependent on factors beyond our control. But, that does not mean that we cannot take proactive measures like investing in modern farming to mitigate their impact. Agriculture engages the largest share of the workforce (45.5% in 2021-22 as per Periodic Labour Force Survey). So, focusing on agriculture, is the right way to ensure long-term high growth of the overall economy,” Prof. Pandey added.
Udhan Kumar Chordia, Secretary, Agurchand Manmull Jain College, said, “Our institution is dedicated to fostering meaningful dialogues and driving actionable change on crucial issues like doubling farmers’ income. We believe in the power of informed discussions to shape the future.”
Dr. N Venkataramanan, Principal of Agurchand Manmull Jain College, emphasized the significance of the conference and underscored the institution’s commitment to advancing education and supporting academic progress. Dr. V S Murali, the Head of the Economics Department and the convener of the conference, extended a warm welcome to resource persons hailing from various parts of the nation. Dr. J S Sindhu, the seminar coordinator, shed light on the conference’s necessity. During this event, an abstract volume was also unveiled.
The National Conference magnified the importance of dispelling misconceptions and navigated the complexities of the agricultural sector. Agurchand Manmull Jain College remains committed to driving actionable change through informed dialogues, and we look forward to further collaborations and discussions aimed at shaping a prosperous future for our farmers.