Agriculture Ministry will look into the special requirements of agricultural education and research in the north-eastern states. This assurance was given by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to Shri Kiren Rijiju, MOS (Home) who met him here today. Rijiju also gave a memorandum highlighting the requirements of the north-eastern region in the area of agricultural education and research. Agriculture Minister has directed ICAR to look at the feasibility of opening more agricultural and veterinary colleges and universities in all the eight States of the region. New institutions will be opened keeping in view the needs of local farmers and also on matters which have high potential in this region.
Agricultural education and research plays a big role in various ways, such as bringing in latest technology, skill upgradation, and taking scientific know-how to farmers. There is already a Central Agriculture University(CAU) at Imphal, and it is being felt that the CAU needs to be strengthened and new university and colleges need to be opened in different States to cater to veterinary, horticulture, food processing and other specialised areas.