Panaji: Kissan Swaraj Yatra, a group of organic farmers promoting and demanding an independent policy for seed and agriculture in India, arrived in Goa on Tuesday
The group visited the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Ela Farm, Old Goa where director N P Singh briefed the yatris on steps taken by ICAR to promote organic farming and to boost crop yields.
The director also stated that KVK-North Goa, under ICAR was not involved in the Bt Brinjal trials. He agreed that KVK does not have a research mandate, which is the sole responsibility of ICAR’s research stations and state agriculture universities.
In the evening, the yatris had a public meeting at Margao. Earlier they went in a procession along with farmers from Dulapi to a Corlim factory amidst tight security.
On Wednesday, the farmers will visit a Margao farm to protest against Bt Brinjal trials before proceeding to the Sulcorna mining belt.
[Source]
