KATHMANDU: Chairman of the CPN (Unified Socialist) Madhav Kumar Nepal has stressed the need for modernizing agricultural sector to boost productivity and make Nepal self-sufficient on foods.

Addressing an event organized by the All Nepal Farmers’ Federation on the occasion of National Paddy Plantation Day, Chairman Nepal viewed adoption of technology was imperative to modernize agriculture and to increase production.

Investment in the industrialization of agricultural sector is equally imperative, the former Prime Minister said, urging the government to pay heed to farmers’ needs including subsidies to them. Proper utilization of available natural resources also help reduce poverty, according to him.

The Chairman stated that modernization, commercialization, industrialization, and diversification of agriculture are urgency and these could be linked to nation’s broader developments- in industry, tourism, infrastructure and the energy fronts.

On a different note, the former Prime Minister expressed worry over growing opportunistic trend within the Communist Party recently, leading to deviation from the communist movement. His party would work together with political parties that share similar ideological perspective to protect the leftist movement and advance communist thought and welfare programmes, he informed.