Punjab Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (PAMETI) under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations (UN) project advocated conservation of agro biodiversity in Punjab by organizing a two days programme on 13-14 December, 2018.
Dr H S Dhaliwal, Director PAMETI informed that the institute is working together in support of the UN-FAO project “Strengthening Agriculture and Allied Sector Contributions in implementing India’s National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) 2008 and National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs). Punjab State Biodiversity Board (PSBB) and Centre for Research in Rural & Industrial Development (CRRID) are also partner in this project. PAMETI is acting as service provider for capacity building component in this project.
Ms Bharti Madan, DD (IT), PAMETI while explaining the objective of the project said that monoculture of Rice-Wheat has depleted the status of biodiversity in the State which needs to be revived for better ecological balance, sustainable agriculture and conservation of environment. She added that the project is to increase capacity of national, state and local level actors in strengthening agriculture and allied sectors contributions in biodiversity conservation.
Ms. Shalini Bhutani and Ms. Seema Bhatt from FAO-India and Mr Gurharminder Singh from Punjab State Biodiversity Board represented their respective organizations on Site Level Gaps assessment organized on 13th Dec., 2018. Dr Sheena Aggarwal, Additional Deputy Commisssioner (ADC), Ludhiana presided over the session. She motivated the participants to implement the tasks assigned under the project for agro-biodiversity conservation in the district. Various officials from agriculture and allied departments gave their valuable inputs about the conservation of biodiversity in the Ludhiana district. They emphasized that the success stories or biodiversity hotspots in the State should be highlighted and documented so that these can be replicated.
During the State Level Gaps Assessment programme on 14th December, ATMA officials from different districts of Punjab and experts in various aspects of agro biodiversity interacted to assess the issues, challenges and gaps in the State related to agro biodiversity. Dr Sucha Singh Gill, Former Director General, CRRID was also present during the programme. He highlighted the gaps in the laws and policies which should be filled to achieve the goals of the project. Dr Balwinder Singh Lakhewali exemplified the efforts being done by Sant Baba Gurmeet Singh ji in this direction at cluster of villages in Moga. Programme ended with vote of thanks from the organizers.
Source: http://www.pau.edu/
