Sri Vijaya Puram, June 11: As part of the nationwide ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’, ICAR–Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CIARI), Sri Vijaya Puram, organized an FPOs, SHGs, and Progressive Farmers’ Sammelan on Balanced Use of Fertilizers today. The programme was organised for Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and progressive farmers from South Andaman districts wherein they were informed about various Government schemes and opportunities in value addition, branding, packaging, and marketing of agricultural produce, aimed at enhancing farm profitability and strengthening rural livelihoods in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
During the interaction, Shri Alok Nath Puspak, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Sri Vijaya Puram, elaborated on various aspects of financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and livelihood development among farmers. Dr. Jai Sunder, Director, ICAR-CIARI, emphasized the importance of collective action through SHGs and FPOs, highlighting that collective production, processing, and marketing can generate greater economic benefits than individual efforts.
Dr. Raj Narayan, Head, Division of Horticulture and Crop Improvement, highlighted the significance of the Khet Bachao Abhiyan in promoting sustainable agriculture and soil health management while Dr. M. Muruganandam, Head, Division of Fisheries Science, highlighted the immense potential of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in both marine and freshwater ecosystems of the A&N Islands.
