District Collector of Sikkim’s West District, A B Karki, aims to set an example in the State by ploughing fields to encourage villagers to take up agriculture as a means of self-employment. He has urged all district officials and staff to go to the fields and work, in order to encourage local youth to start farming.
On Sunday, Karki led a team of officials and staff to plough the fields and plant seasonal vegetables and fruits in a fallow piece of government land. He said that the aim was to engage everyone in farming and use all barren and fallow government land for farming. It is also to inspire the younger generation to take up farming and make them understand that it is a sustainable and lucrative profession.
According to Karki, organic farming should be adopted as a culture and a way of life. He also urged that fallow and barren land should be brought under cultivation as such practices will accelerate the growth of agricultural productivity in the State and make Sikkim self-reliant. He also stated that farming must be practised in an extensive way so that benefits of the farming reach the larger section of society.
At a time when Sikkim government has banned the import of vegetables from outside the State, such practical steps by bureaucrats, who are mostly limited to making policy decisions and scanning files, will help pave the way for the youth.
