Sri Vijaya Puram, June 18: A field-level awareness and farmer-scientist interaction programme under the banner “Khet Bachao Abhiyan” was successfully organized today at the Gram Panchayat Hall, Mannarghat. The initiative was jointly organized by ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), South Andaman, ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (CIARI), the Department of Agriculture, and UT-ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency). The event drew active participation from 30 local progressive farmers, including 23 men and 7 women, providing them a direct platform to address critical agricultural challenges with domain experts. Delivering the key address, Dr. Y. Ramakrishna, Principal Scientist & Head of ICAR-KVK, South Andaman, underscored the vital correlation between soil health and human well-being. He urged the farming community to adopt robust, sustainable soil management practices to preserve land productivity.
Dr. Raj Narayan, Head of the Division of Horticulture and Crop Improvement at ICAR-CIARI, Sri Vijaya Puram, focused on land conservation strategies, emphasizing the urgent need to mitigate soil erosion and implement sustainable techniques to protect fertile topsoil for future cultivation. Mr. Madhu, AFA, Department of Agriculture, educated the gathering on the various bio-inputs available at the government depot and detailed their proper application methods. He also informed the farmers about the newly inaugurated Custom Hiring Centre (CHC) at Chouldari, encouraging them to utilize its machinery and services to maximize their agricultural output. Expanding on integrated farming systems,
Dr. Zachariah George, Subject Matter Specialist (Animal Science) at ICAR-KVK, South Andaman, highlighted the strategic importance of dairy farming. He explained how livestock integration acts as a catalyst for natural and organic farming ecosystems through the utilization of organic manure. The Chief Guest of the event, Mrs. Sajida Banu, Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Mannarghat, commended the collaborative efforts of KVK, CIARI, the Department of Agriculture, and UT-ATMA. She noted that such grassroots-level, multi-agency interventions are instrumental in empowering rural communities by delivering scientific expertise directly to the field. The event concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Mrs. Sunita Kumari, Assistant Technology Manager (ATM), ATMA.
