President Murmu Highlights Lac Farming and Secondary Agriculture at NISA Centenary Celebrations

President Murmu stressed the importance of utilizing agricultural waste through secondary agriculture to protect the environment while increasing farmers’ incomes.

The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, graced the centenary celebration of the ICAR-National Institute of Secondary Agriculture (NISA) in Ranchi, Jharkhand today. In her address, President Murmu emphasized that agriculture in the 21st century faces three key challenges: maintaining food and nutrition security, ensuring sustainable use of resources, and mitigating climate change. She highlighted that secondary agriculture, which includes value addition to primary agricultural products and activities such as beekeeping, poultry farming, and agricultural tourism, can help address these challenges.

 

President Murmu stressed the importance of utilizing agricultural waste through secondary agriculture to protect the environment while increasing farmers’ incomes. She pointed out that lac farming, primarily practiced by tribal communities in India, serves as a vital source of income and noted the positive strides made by NISA in the research and development of lac, natural resins, and gums.

 

The institute's innovations include small-scale and integrated lac processing units, lac-based products such as natural paints and varnishes, and lac coatings that extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. However, President Murmu urged further advancements, especially to meet the growing demand for high-quality lac in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. Improving the quality, supply chain, and marketing of Indian lac could boost domestic and international demand, ensuring better prices for farmers.

 

Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, also spoke at the event, praising the historical significance of lac in India, which dates back to the Mahabharata era. He emphasized the importance of diversifying agriculture beyond traditional farming and highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of doubling farmers’ incomes through various initiatives, including agro-forestry and lac cultivation.

 

Shri Chouhan noted that lac farming, which already generates substantial earnings for many farmers, presents enormous potential for growth. Lac is not only an important source of income for tribal communities but also a sustainable alternative to plastic, contributing to environmental protection. He called for the recognition of lac as an agricultural product, so that farmers could benefit from Agriculture Department schemes and receive fair prices through cluster-based processing units. Chouhan expressed his commitment to working with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to establish a minimum support price (MSP) for lac, ensuring farmers a profit of at least 50% above production costs.

 

The Union Minister also welcomed women attending the event, emphasizing the role of women empowerment in lac cultivation through initiatives like the Lakhpati Didi Yojana, which aims to ensure that each woman earns at least ₹1 lakh annually. He promised to increase training efforts at NISA, with a goal of preparing 5,000 farmers annually, up from the current 1,500. Chouhan assured that Ranchi would be developed as a leading center for agricultural education and research. Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, highlighted the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making India a developed nation through innovation and research in agriculture. He emphasized that India’s farmers are the backbone of the country, feeding a population of 145 crore and contributing to national development.

 

Choudhary reiterated the importance of eliminating middlemen in farming and ensuring prosperity for the country’s farmers, especially those engaged in lac farming in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.