‘Farm graduates can become self-reliant by setting up agriculture start-ups’

Despite being the oldest profession, agriculture is still not getting adequate returns and for many, it is yet to become viable, Chairman of Karnataka Vikas Grameena (KVG) Bank P. Gopikrishna has said

Despite being the oldest profession, agriculture is still not getting adequate returns and for many, it is yet to become viable, Chairman of Karnataka Vikas Grameena (KVG) Bank P. Gopikrishna has said. He was delivering the keynote address at the Academia-Industry Interface conclave on “Agri Start-ups - Way Ahead” organised by World Bank-funded Project NAHEP-IDP at University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad on Monday. “Famines in the 1960s and 1970s led to shortage of foodgrains and milk in India and forced import of foodgrains. Subsequently, impetus was given to farming in the successive Five Year Plans leading to Green Revolution. As much as 50% of the total 218 million hectares available for farming has already been brought under irrigation. But, unfortunately even after 75 years of Independence, farm returns continue to be low,” he said.