Port Blair, Mar 28: Out Reach Centre of Central Island Agricultural Research Institute,conducted technological exposition and demonstration of livelihood options in agriculture and allied fields in the field of Shri Laxman Das, Progressive farmer of Kalipur in association with KVK, Nimbudera on 25th March, 2017 under the plan and guidance of Dr. S. Dam Roy, Director, CIARI. Port Blair.
Dr. S.K. Zamir Ahmed, Principal Scientist & Coordinator, informed the farmers on the basic objective of the technological exposition and demonstration , wherein the farmers learned by getting exposed to the knowledge and skill involved in best livelihood technologies in participatory mode in the real field condition .
The resource personnel were, Shri Laxman Das, Progressive farmer and National Awardee, on bee keeping, spices cultivation, bush pepper making, IFS, and cinnamon peeling, Dr. A.K. Singh, Senior Scientist (Plant Breeding) on pulse production technologies with special reference to International year of pulses. Dr. B.L. Kasinathan, Head on seed production technologies of vegetable crop and producer organisation, Dr. V.K. Pandey, SMS, KVK, South Andaman on disease & pest management in rice, pulses, vegetables, Dr. Shailsh Kumar , SMS, on rice fish farming, composite fish culture, Shri B.L. Meena , SMS on PoP for field crops, Shri Manoj Kumar, SMS on use of energy efficient small agriculture implements with less drudgery and Dr. Dulal, SVO, Diglipur on fodder for cattles. Smti Lathika, I/C Zonal Office of Agriculture, also participated.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief guest, Saw Tattoo, Adhyaska, after inaugurating the meet, appreciated the approach of the CIARI through its Out Reach Centre at Diglipur to reach the farmers through training and demonstration. He urged the farmers to come forward voluntarily and adopt the agriculture technologies to become self-sustained which is imparted by KVK and also the Development departments. While appreciating the role of NABARD in rural upliftment, he requested to give more awareness on the financial support to the beneficiaries. He also showed lot of interest in the crop cafeteria adopted by Shri Laxman Das of Kalipur. He distributed recommended varieties of rice along with seedlings of clove, pepper and nutmeg to the farmers.
Shri Hemant. B. Songadkar, General Manager & OIC, NABARD, Port Blair, the Guest of Honour, was impressed by the overwhelming response of the farmers. He spoke in length about the technologies popularised through ORC in association with the team of scientists from CIARI, KVK under the able leadership of Dr. S. Dam Roy, Director of CIARI. He also spoke about the role of NABARD and the programmes to support rural farmers. Later he interacted with the farmers, scientists and the officers present and assured for all possible help from his team of officers in carrying forward the development works.
Shri Dilip Biswas, Up-Pradhan of Shibpur also spoke with appreciation on the work done by CIARI. He also placed the problems faced by the farmers in obtaining loan from the bank.
Dr. A.K. Singh, Senior Scientist (Plant Breeding),CIARI, along with the team of Scientists from KVKs, and officers of Development Departments conducted a thorough inspection of areas on pulses to monitor the growth and yield performance under both biotic and abiotic stress and interacted with the farmers to get the feedback.
Farmers also interacted with the team of experts from CIARI,KVK, & the development departments and shared their experiences during the daylong session. Around 175 farmers representing from village cluster of Ramnagar, D.B. Nagar, Keralapuram, V.S.Pally, R.K. Gram, Madhupur, Shibpur, Kalipur, Khudirampur, Subhas gram and Madhupur attended with lots of enthusiasm.Shri Shiba Mahato and Saw Markus of ORC, coordinated the meet.
The programme came to end with vote of thanks proposed by Dr Shailash Kumar, SMS, KVK, Nimbudera.
