Panaji, May 22 (PTI) Farmers must be involved thoroughly with marketing agricultural produce as well as value addition, while industrialists who benefit from the sector must also contribute, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Thursday.
He was addressing agriculturists at the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Old Goa.
"The farmer must involve thoroughly with marketing of agriculture produce as well as value addition. A major change in the farmer's income will come only when the farmer also engages in the business of agriculture," he said.
There are many factories based on agricultural produce but the farmer just ends up being a customer of the products of such units, the VP pointed out.
Farmers should also get involved in the business of various gadgets and inputs like fertilisers and insecticides required in the sector, he said.
"If farmers and their children remain confined within a limited scope of farming, the momentum that is required to drive India's economic system will fall short," Dhankhar pointed out.
The agri-economy is not just about agri-production, he said, adding that the farmer must have a high share (of involvement) in all its facets, including marketing and value addition.
"There is need to create entrepreneurs from the farming community. I call them agripreneurs. This country must have millions of agripreneurs," he said.
"It is also important that those who benefit from the farmers, those who benefit from the farmer's produce -- the big industrialists too should contribute to strengthening the farmer's economy. I'm not criticizing them (industrialists), I'm offering advice," the VP said.
He said industrialists should ensure the farmer's participation and conduct research and use their CSR funds in key issues of rural development.
"Only then will there be significant change," Dhankhar asserted.