In a departure from the tradition in which cooperative leaders travel abroad in business class to attend even insignificant cooperative programmes , farmers of the state of Maharashtra have begun to undertake foreign trips to apprise themselves with latest developments.
Over 150 farmers from Maharashtra recently visited some of the most advanced countries of Europe to acquaint themselves with the latest methods being used in agriculture. They visited milk and cheese processing units in Holland and saw at close quarters the applications of solar and other unconventional forms of energy in Germany.
The Maharashtra govt is partly footing the bill of the foreign trip. Sources say some more farmers would soon be going to Europe on their learning trip.
Sources add batches of farmers would also be sent to some of the non-European countries soon. A substantial fund has been earmarked for the purpose by the govt.
According to agriculture minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, such trips would provide farmers with the information about the latest tecniques and methods being used in agricultural field across the world and thus help them improve their own farming operations.