NEW DELHI, May 29: Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu, while urging the Centre for timely allocation and release of funds under seed components, stressed for development of more certified seed varieties suited to the agro-climatic conditions of the Northeastern region.
Wangsu stressed this while attending the National Conference on Agriculture for Kharif Campaign 2026 held in New Delhi, besides pitching for greater support to the North East’s agriculture and horticulture sector.
The high-level two-day conference was chaired by Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan and attended by Minister of State Ram Nath Thakur, Agriculture Ministers from various states, Secretaries of DARE, Director General of ICAR, and senior officers of the Government of India.
Representing Arunachal Pradesh, Wangsu, who also holds Horticulture portfolio among others, highlighted several critical concerns and proposals related to the State’s agriculture and horticulture sector, with special emphasis on seed systems, indigenous germplasm, and organic farming.
Addressing the conference, the Minister stated that seed remains the most critical agricultural input for productivity enhancement and food security. He urged the Centre for timely allocation and release of funds under seed components, and called for development of more certified seed varieties suited to the agro-climatic conditions of the NE region.
He stressed that locally adapted and indigenous germplasm often perform better under local conditions than externally introduced varieties. In this regard, the Minister proposed greater flexibility for the use and promotion of locally suitable indigenous germplasm across the region.
Wangsu further proposed promotion and multiplication of indigenous seed varieties through Government Seed Farms, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Farmers’ Training Centres (FTCs), and ICAR institutions. He also advocated encouraging and empanelling local and regional seed companies for production of seeds tailored to local agro-climatic conditions.
Highlighting the challenges faced by farmers in remote areas, the Minister sought enhanced support under the ‘Seed Village Programme and the Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)’ for seed infrastructure development, farmer training, and seed distribution. He also requested enhanced financial assistance considering the high cost of certified seeds and the limited purchasing capacity of farmers in remote NE states.
On sustainable agriculture, Wangsu said Arunachal Pradesh, being “largely organic by default,” intends to promote organic and bio-based crop protection approaches in line with the ‘Mission Organic’ vision of the Government of India.
He called for greater emphasis on the promotion of bio-pesticides, bio-fungicides, sticky traps, and light traps for environmentally safe and sustainable crop protection. He noted that organic and bio-based crop protection measures offer long-term sustainability benefits and help reduce health hazards associated with chemical pesticide residues.
The Minister also proposed consideration of a dedicated Organic Bio-based Crop Protection Scheme under Government of India programmes.
Expressing optimism, he said Arunachal Pradesh remains hopeful that the concerns and proposals placed before the conference would receive due consideration in the larger interest of farmers, sustainable agriculture and inclusive national development.
In his closing remarks, Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed satisfaction over the active participation and constructive deliberations during the conference. He urged all stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the discussions at the grassroots level.
Calling for environmentally responsible farming practices, Chouhan emphasized the need to safeguard agricultural land and ecological balance through the “Khet-Bachao Mission.” He appealed to the Centre, states, ICAR institutions, agricultural universities and KVKs to work collectively towards promoting balanced fertilizer use and sustainable farming methods for a secure agricultural future.
Senior officials from Arunachal Pradesh, including Secretaries of Agriculture and Horticulture, also attended the conference.