Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurates Agri and Food Technology Fair in Chandigarh

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said that great progress has been witnessed by the country in last few years and farmers are back bone of it.

He said that agriculture sector has also made a great progress. He said that with contribution of our visionary policymakers, ingenious scientific minds and above all, our Annadatas, India has attained the feet of becoming the largest producer of millets, pulses, milk, and jute in the world He said India is the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, vegetables, fruits, and cotton.

He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the fifteenth edition of the Agri and Food Technology Fair hosted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the Parade Ground in Chandigarh. The Fair will conclude on November 7.

Mr Dhankar said agriculture is vital for our economy. It directly employs more than one-third of our population and contributes nearly one fifth of our GDP. He said that agriculture sector ensures food security of 1.4 billion people and supplies raw material for our industries

Vice President said that the theme for this year’s edition – “Digital Transformation for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security” – is very apt and relevant.

He said, Sustainability and food security go hand in hand. There cannot be long term food security without sustainable agriculture practices. This is important not just for a populous country such as ours but also for the vast majority of humanity.

He said, Now during the ongoing ‘Amrit Kaal’, we have to adapt our agriculture according to new requirements and new challenges. He said, Innovation should become the key driver of agricultural growth.