Port Blair, Feb 25: As a part of the National Science Day (NSD) 2015 today on 25th February, 2015 an Auto Seed Planter which is used for precision farming and zero tillage was introduced and dedicated to the Island farmers by Dr. S.Dam Roy, Director, ICAR-CIARI in presence of Dr. R.K. Gautam, HoD, Field Crops, Dr. A.K. Singh, Senior Scientist, Dr. Nagesh Ram, PC, KVK and Dr. S.K. Zamir Ahmed, Incharge Social Science.
While lauding the effort of Dr. A.K. Singh, Senior Scientist the Director advised the farmers to use the machine which will be kept in the premises of the KVK, South Andaman for showing the crops like mung, urad, arhar, maize, okra etc. in the residual moisture after the harvest of the rice crops. He further informed that the machine enables the farmer to maintain spacing and save both seed and labour to the tune of 32 to 46%.
Later, the farmers from South and Middle Andaman were shown both in house and field demonstration of the Auto Seed Planter and were exposed to the plus lines of arhar (pigeon pea), wherein accession ANP1301 was ranked to be the best performer. A total of 61 farmers of which 34 women and 27 men participated.
On 26th February, 2015 Poster Display on the theme Science for Nation Building, Mini Science Quiz and Meet and Share with the Scientist has been arranged for the school students (VIIth to IXth) . Interested students seeking for career opportunities can participate from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm at Conference hall of CIARI by contacting Dr. S.K. Zamir Ahmed, Organizing Secretary, NSD-2015 on contact No. 09434262869.
