New Delhi: The next green revolution in agriculture will not be limited to the goal of food security and must incorporate the needs of the global market, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.

The prime minister was addressing a gathering of scientists and officials at the 87th foundation day ceremony of Indian Council of Agricultural Research in Patna, Bihar.

We have already achieved the goal of food security with the first green revolution and the next step is to align our farmers with global demand, said Modi, adding that “value addition in agriculture is a must and scientists have to develop technologies that can prolong shelf life and cut wastage".

“Since land is getting fragmented, the way out is to increase productivity. The country needs to grow more oilseeds and pulses. Hopefully, this year sowing of these crops are expected to double," the prime minister said.

Modi also stressed on the need to move from traditional agriculture to high-value products. “Livestock and poultry is not only low-risk but will also generate extra income for farmers. India can take up rearing honeybees in a large scale as there is a global demand," he said, adding “there is also a global market for organic produce as the world is interested in holistic healthcare".

Modi further said that initiatives on organic fertilizers, such as vermicomposting, can be taken up in periphery of urban areas and that will take care of the city’s garbage. “The earthworm (used in vermicomposting) can be the greatest ambassador of the Swachh Bharat (clean India) mission," he said.

India needs a four pronged revolution—saffron for energy, green for agriculture, white for milk and livestock and blue for fisheries, he said, adding, “this will take off from the eastern Indian states like Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Assam (among others)".

During the ceremony, the prime minister also launched four new schemes: Farmer First, a digital interface for farmers to access and share information; ARYA: Attracting Rural Youth in Agriculture; Student Ready for graduate students to earn technical knowledge and take up internships with agro-based companies; and Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav—a programme where agricultural scientists will adopt villages as agents of change.

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