WATCH | PM Modi Stops at ICRISAT Farm in Hyderabad to Eat 'Chana'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) in Hyderabad. On his way to the event, he stopped at ICRISAT farm in the city to taste some freshly grown ‘chana’ (chickpea).

In a video that was widely shared, the Prime Minister can be seen moving around the green farm, plucking a few chickpeas, and eating them.

He inaugurated ICRISAT’s Climate Change Research Facility on Plant Protection and Rapid Generation Advancement Facility and also launched a commemorative stamp issued in Hyderabad. While addressing the event, he said ICRISAT has experience of five decades of helping other nations in making agriculture easy and sustainable.

“ICRISAT has experience of five decades of helping other nations in making agriculture easy and sustainable,” Modi said. “I am hopeful that they will continue to deliver their expertise to strengthen India’s ‘Krishi’ sector,” he said at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of ICRISAT.

Talking about farmers and their challenges from climate changes, the Prime Minister said that the Union Budget 2022-23 is focused on natural farming and digital agriculture. “To save our farmers from climate challenge, our focus is on the fusion of both back to basics and march to future. Our focus is on more than 80% of small farmers of the country who need us the most. The Union Budget 2022-23 is focused on natural farming and digital agriculture,” PM Modi said.

“In the next few years, we want to take area usage in the palm oil sector to 6.5 lakh hectares…We are focusing on food security as well as nutrition security. We have developed several bio-fortified varieties in the last 7 years,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister watched an exhibition at the ICRISAT campus in Patancheru in Hyderabad.

PM Modi’s visit to Hyderabad was, however, marred by controversy as Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was not present at the airport to receive him. The development comes following an outburst by the chief minister while reacting to the Union Budget.

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