Agro-ecological zones promoting farming in Future 27/06/2019 – Posted in: Daily News

AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES – PROMOTING FARMING IN FUTURE

 

For: Preliminary & Mains

Topics covered: Agro-Ecological Zones, Five zones, Promote farming, Advantages

 

News Flash

Government of Kerala is ready for implementing the concept of agro-ecological zones in nearby future. Under this, the agriculture sector would be divided into five agro-ecological zones to promote farming in the future.

The five zones – a coastal plain, wetland, foothill, high hill and Palakkad plain – are based on geography, population, soil type and biodiversity.

The Kerala Agriculture University had been entrusted with the task of framing a protocol for the agricultural practices in these zones.

 

Highlights

  • The field trial of paddy varieties developed by the university was underway in many parts of the state.
  • A first-of-its-kind seed bank in the country would be commissioned soon in the state.

 

Agro-ecological zones

The Agriculture Department is developing an action plan to accommodate the concept of agro-ecological zones.

For drawing up the plan, the department has formed a high-level committee with the Agriculture Production Commissioner as its chairman and the Agriculture Director as the convener.

For the integrated development of agriculture as a production sector, the State has been divided into agro-ecological zones and agro-ecological units.

The concept was designed to enable the sector to adapt to the long-term effects of climate change and flood management.

 

Identification of Zones

The agro-ecological zones were demarcated on the basis of soil characteristics and other geographical factors for determining crops, crop management techniques and manure use appropriate for each zone.

 

Priority sector

Agriculture and allied activities are a priority sector identified for development.

  • This is to be done by using the first tranche of the proposed World Bank development policy loan (DPL) for the post-flood Rebuild Kerala initiative.
  • Part of the loan would be utilised for developing the concept of agro-ecological zones.

 

ENVIS centre

Realizing the importance of Environmental Information, the Government of India December 1982, established an Environmental Information System (ENVIS) as a plan programme.

 

Objectives are to:

  1. Promote, implement and coordinate Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP).
  2. Implement and coordinate Grid Based Decision Support System (GRIDSS) programme.
  3. Participate, implement and coordinate Community-driven Environmentally Sustainable Village Programme (CESVP) as and when intimated by ENVIS Focal Point.
  4. Build a repository and dissemination centre in Environmental Science, Information and Management (ESIM).
  5. Enable the application of modern technologies of acquisition, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information of environmental nature.
  6. Support and promote research, development and innovation in ESIM.
  7. Build storage, retrieval and dissemination capabilities, with the ultimate objective of disseminating information speedily to the users.
  8. Build a strong statistical base such that ENVIS is recognised as a South Asian Hub for ESIM.
  9. Promote national cooperation and liaise with agencies concerned for exchange of environment related information.
  10. Promote, support and assist education and personnel training programmes designed to enhance ESIM capabilities.

 

Source: New Indian Express

 

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