MARGAO: A public meeting was organised on Sunday for the locals of Velsao-Pale- Issorcim village Goencho Ekvott in coordination with the village panchayat wherein the team Goyche Fudle Pilge Khatir (GFPK) were invited to make a presentation explaining what the Draft Agriculture Policy is about with the aim of getting suggestions on the said policy from the villagers.

Velsao resident and Goencho Ekvott (GE) founder Orville Dourado Rodrigues had made the request for such a meeting to be held.

The GFPK members who were present for the meeting included its President Jack Mascarenhas and others such as Santan Rodrigues, Amancio Fernandes, Orlando Mesquita, Nandini Naik and Carmelito Andrade.

“We thank the Sarpanch Diana Gouveia and all the panch members for giving us the opportunity to discuss the importance of linking our land and identity to Agriculture policy making. GFPK had a fruitful and enjoyable conversation, and the villagers expressed their interest in protecting their farmland and the Goan identity for the future generations,” said GE Joint Secretary Olencio Simoes, who also spoke at the meeting.

“The agricultural policy should be drafted holistically by taking all farmers into confidence, today unfortunately all the agricultural land are fallow or are polluted or are not profitable for farmers. Therefore the government has to draft the policy looking into land usage, groundwater, modernization of agriculture etc,” Simoes added.

It may be recalled that GFPK is in the midst of holding such types of meetings regarding the policy in villages across the State.