September 19, 2023

70% of the country’s agricultural land will be cultivated with cereals by 2050: Haryana horticulture varsity VC

About 70% of the country’s agricultural land needs to be planted with cereals by 2050 in order to feed the country’s population, Vice Chancellor of Maharana Pratap University of Horticulture, Prof. Samar Singh has said.

“By 2050, India will experience a one-third increase in population and there will be more pressure to grow food grains. There will be a need to increase grain cultivation to 70%,” the VC said in its speech at a webinar organized by the university on the occasion of International Soil Day.

He expressed concern over the shrinking acreage and the depletion of groundwater levels in the country.

“We need to increase the production of food grains. Moreover, diversification from agriculture to horticulture is the only option to meet demand and increase farmers’ incomes,” he added.

The VC called on farmers to adopt new cultivation methods without disturbing soil fertility.

In his address, Kisan Club General Secretary Vijay Kapoor said role models should be exhibited and small trainings should be held so that farmers can get better benefits.