Agriculture

At present, the agricultural development of the region is very low. The rain fed agriculture is negligible due to low, unreliable and erratic distribution of rainfall and the irrigation is not that much developed either. However, it has to be known that there is almost 538,361.5 hectares of agricultural potential in the region provided that the regional government is prepared to manage a comprehensive and coordinated approach consisting of good and intensive integrated agricultural development programmes through proper utilization of the natural resources, expansion and development of modern irrigation, well developed infrastructure, etc. are in place. By considering these factors, the current low level of the agricultural production of the region can be undoubtedly being increased within reasonable period of time. If such concerted effort is fully practiced, commercial and industrial crops such as maize (sweet corn), wheat, sorghum, groundnut (peanut), sesame, mung nuts, cow peas, castor, cotton, sugar cane, sisal, onion, tomato, green beans, water melons, spinach, sweet potatoes, banana and grapes as well as from cumin and coriander are among the potential ones. By considering the potential of the Region, project ideas in the area of cotton production and processing, edible oil from different oil seeds, flour mills of different cereals, tomato plantation and processing and the like are identified. Such activities in effect will create backward and forward linkage effects in the Regional economy.