President Droupadi Murmu Highlights Secondary Agriculture's Role in Addressing Food Security, and Resource Sustainability

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, graced the centenary celebration of the ICAR-National Institute of Secondary Agriculture (NISA) in Ranchi, Jharkhand on September 20, 2024. Addressing the gathering, President Murmu emphasized the importance of making agriculture a profitable venture while also tackling three critical challenges: maintaining food and nutrition security, sustainable use of resources, and addressing climate change.

In her speech, the President highlighted the role of secondary agriculture in addressing these challenges, stating that activities such as value addition of primary agricultural products, beekeeping, poultry farming, and agricultural tourism can enhance farmers' incomes and ensure the sustainable use of resources. She underscored the importance of utilizing agricultural waste through secondary agriculture, contributing both to environmental protection and boosting farmers' livelihoods.

President Murmu praised NISA's efforts in promoting lac production, an important income source for tribal communities in India. She lauded the institute's initiatives in developing small-scale lac processing units and creating lac-based products such as natural paints, varnishes, and cosmetic items. Additionally, she expressed confidence that these steps would improve the living standards of the tribal population and increase the value of lac in domestic and international markets.

Highlighting the growing demand for high-quality lac in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, President Murmu urged NISA to further enhance the quality, supply chain, and marketing of Indian lac, enabling farmers to tap into global markets. She also acknowledged the era of disruptive technologies and was pleased to note NISA's Automation and Plant Engineering Division, which focuses on developing robotics, artificial intelligence, and Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled equipment, aimed at revolutionizing agricultural practices.

The President concluded by expressing her optimism about the continued progress in secondary agriculture and the significant impact it can have on improving both the environment and farmers' incomes.