Summary:
Kolkata: The state Agriculture department is all set to initiate a district-level programme to "further encourage" farmers in taking up cultivation of alternate crops. Asish Banerjee, the state Agriculture minister, said: "Further steps will be taken up to encourage farmers to take up maize cultivation. The farmers will be provided with all necessary support to encourage them in taking up maize cultivation in more numbers." In a bid to create awareness on maize cultivation, a convention was also held a few months ago at Rampurhat in Birbhum district. According to the state Agriculture minister, the convention had helped in knowledge sharing among the farmers interested in taking up alternate farming..