Team Herald

MARGAO: The Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai on Friday announced the Community Farming Scheme wherein 500 hectares of land under has been envisaged on a pilot basis with a group of five.

"The scheme will envisage on getting 500 hectares of land under this scheme on pilot basis," he said speaking at the Goa Krishi Mahotsav,  organised by the Department of Agriculture at Ravindra Bhavan, Fatorda. 

The Directorate of Agriculture along with the National Horticulture Mission and State Agricultural Management and the Extension training institute and Agriculture Technology Management Agency South Goa too has a stake in the project. 

"The scheme will cover almost 90% subsidies for the irrigation, wells, pumps and fencing like works for agriculture. This is to unite the scattered agriculture lands" said Vijai. He informed that the minimum requirement of land for the same will be a continuous 1 hectare or 10 thousand square metres. "We are ready to give more incentives for organic farming and also for marketing the produce" he informed. 

The idea is to promote the cultivation of fallow land, he said informing that the Contract Farming Act has been prepared and it will be brought in the House in the next session. 

The Secretary of Agriculture J Ashok Kumar, Director of Agriculture Nelson Figueiredo and others were also present at the function. The Mahotsav will have exhibition, demonstrations and knowledge sessions with workshops and display for three days.