India cannot survive on imported food security: Naidu

He was addressing the 'India Ideas Conclave 2017' here. "I hope the Centre, states and society will focus together, more and more, on agriculture because India with a population of 130 crore cannot survive on imported food security," Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said.

"We can export (agricultural produce) for the time being but the population is growing," he pointed out.

The vice president said agriculture was becoming an unviable pursuit and thus, the aim to double farmers' income by 2022 was a challenge.

"People are leaving agriculture and going to other professions. An agriculturist does not want his son to continue with the profession because of uncertain monsoons, natural calamities, market exploitation etc. All this is affecting agriculture," Naidu said.

"The prime minister has set a target of doubling farmers’ income by 2022. It is a challenge because agriculture is becoming unviable," he stated.

Adding that the rural-urban divide had to be bridged, Naidu said, "Gandhiji had said 'Ram rajya' was incomplete without 'gram rajya', this has to be kept in the mind. I am sure the government is focusing on ending the urban-rural divide and ensuring that people living in rural areas are provided basic amenities".

Naidu urged the people to join the efforts of the government in promoting agriculture.