Team Herald
PANJIM: In line with the Contract Farming Act introduced by the Centre, in Goa the departments of Agriculture and Revenue will be drafting a law to allow contract and community farming by corporates or individuals, wherein the government will act as a guarantor.
The government intends to introduce the Act during the monsoon session of the State Legislative Assembly. The focus is to bring fallow land under cultivation thereby increase the agriculture cover and production.
Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai said, “The legislation will be drafted with support from the Revenue Department. We want to bring in fallow land under cultivation. The new legislation will provide security of land to farmers, while it will also enable corporates or individuals to invest in farming. The government will act as a guarantor.”
He also said that Agriculture Department will provide financial help for activities like fencing plot as well as digging wells. Sardesai said that in the contract farming act it is envisaged that corporates, individuals or institutions can tie up with the farmer and cultivate his land. “The rights of the property remains with the farmers,” he said. “The government only acts as guarantor. Government guarantees that the agreement between the farmer and the corporate or individual who takes the contract farming is actually honoured by both parties,” he added.
