An accreditation protocol for agroforestry nurseries was also launched. Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said that the focus will be on solutions as well as benefits for farmers.
Union minister of agriculture and farmers’ welfare and tribal affairs, Arjun Munda, launched the Framework for Voluntary Carbon Market in Agriculture Sector and Accreditation Protocol of Agroforestry Nurseries in Delhi on Monday. Agriculture Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja and the Secretary of DARE and Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Dr. Himanshu Pathak were also present.
Arjun Munda said in his address that the ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare has prepared a framework to promote Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) in the country’s agricultural sector with a view to encourage small and medium farmers to avail benefits of carbon credit. Introducing farmers to the carbon market will not only benefit them but also accelerate the adoption of environment-friendly agricultural practices, he said.
He requested full cooperation from the concerned ministries of the centre and the states and other concerned organizations to promote the carbon market in the interest of farmers. He said that work should be done in this direction in collaboration with the farmers of the southern areas, in a manner convenient for them and along with the solution. He spoke of a need to focus its benefits of farmers. “This is the first step in which we want to ensure everyone’s participation. Global challenges like global warming are in front of all of us; hence we have to move ahead with caution,” he said and asked ICAR to play an active role in this direction.
Munda said that the agriculture sector in the country is making an important contribution to the economy and livelihood of crores of people. 54.6 per cent of the country’s workforce is engaged in agriculture and allied sectors’ activities. The share of agriculture sector in GDP is 18.6 per cent, while the sown area is 139.3 million hectares. Keeping this importance in view, he said, the ministry of agriculture has taken several steps for sustainable development.
He said that the Accreditation Protocol of Agroforestry Nurseries will strengthen the institutional arrangements for production and certification of planting material on a large scale to promote agroforestry in the country. He asked all the stakeholders to adopt it so that quality planting material can provide assured returns and the objectives and goals of the National Agroforestry Policy can be achieved. He also urged for proper use of natural resources.
