Agro policy should be job-oriented8217;

Indian farming provides food to nearly a billion people and livelihood to 65 per cent of the population, he said. Dr Swaminathan said that attention should be given to protecting employment intensive sectors liketextiles and animal husbandry. 8220;Cotton cultivation, textile manufacture and trade provide livelihood opportunities to about 60 million people in the country. Promotion of a green health movement based on medicinal plants and herbs will help to ensure improvement in income of millions of tribals and rural families,8221; he stated.

Speaking on the future challenges, he said that India8217;s agricultural strategy for the 21st century will have more emphasis on producing more per unit of land, water, energy, capital and labour through means that would ensure that productivity improvement is not associated with long term ecological and social harm.