Hemant Soren Chairs Meeting on Enhancing Agro-Forestry Sector in Jharkhand

Chief Minister stresses the potential of agro-forestry and cooperative efforts to benefit farmers.

Under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the third meeting of the Sido-Kanhu Krishi Evam Vanopaj State Cooperative Federation Limited’s board of directors concluded successfully.

RANCHI – Chief Minister Hemant Soren chaired a meeting highlighting the vast potential of the agro-forestry sector in Jharkhand and the role of the Sido-Kanhu Krishi Evam Vanopaj State Cooperative Federation in enhancing it.

The Chief Minister emphasized the need to inform farmers about the cooperative federation so they can benefit from its initiatives.

He directed officials to fully operationalize all LAMPS-PACS across the state to maximize benefits for farmers.

Soren noted that many farmers are still not registered with LAMPS-PACS and instructed efforts to include all left-out farmers.

He stressed the importance of proper maintenance and management of LAMPS-PACS buildings.

Soren pointed out that Jharkhand has valuable forest products like lac, tamarind, millet, mahua, karanj, silk, and tasar, which have high market demand but are not yielding adequate profits for producers.

He suggested value addition and geo-tagging of these products to provide better market access and benefits to farmers, aiming for a global recognition of these unique products.

The Chief Minister called for steps to promote agro-forestry and ensure maximum farmer participation.

He recommended providing information and training related to forest products to farmers, enabling them to produce commercially viable goods.

Soren highlighted the potential for lac and silk-tasar farming in Jharkhand and called for initiatives to boost their production.

He noted the impact of climate fluctuations on traditional agriculture and urged preparations for alternative farming methods.

The "Krishak Pathshala" program was emphasized as a vital initiative for training farmers in alternative agriculture and connecting them with forest products, providing necessary resources to sustain agricultural activities in adverse conditions.

Soren also suggested exploring the inclusion of kendu leaf production within the cooperative federation’s scope, benefiting workers involved in kendu leaf production.

The Chief Minister mentioned the new cooperative training center in Fudi, equipped with modern facilities, and proposed its professional operation.

He recommended exploring partnerships with national cooperative associations or councils for conducting professional or vocational courses, aiming for skill development and employment for the state’s youth.

Soren also proposed training honey collectors, forming groups to connect with Sidhcofed, and establishing MoUs with major companies like Amul, Saffola, and Himalaya to ensure a fair price and provide high-quality, healthful honey to consumers.

The meeting was attended by Agriculture Minister Deepika Pandey Singh, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Avinash Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department Vandana Dadel, Agriculture Secretary Abu Bakar Siddique, Secretary of the Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department Kripanand Jha, Director-cum-CEO of Sido-Kanhu Krishi Evam Vanopaj State Cooperative Federation Umashankar Singh, CEO of JSLPS Sandeep Singh, and APCCF-cum-MD of JSFDC Y.K. Das.