Port Blair, Jan 16: Farmers Training-cum-Awareness Programme on “Cultivation of Pulses in Rice fallow in Andaman and Nicobar Islands” was organised at Collinpur Gram Panchayat, South Andaman on 16th January, 2018. Dr. A. Kundu, Director, ICAR-CIARI was the Chief Guest and Mr Mahadev Majhi, Pradhan, Collinpur Gram Panchayat was the Guest of honour of the programme.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. A. Kundu, Director, advocated that pulse crops improve the health of soil by adding nutrients through Nitrogen fixation and also improves health of human through supply of protein and minerals. Further, he informed about upcoming Regional Agricultural Fair during 9-11th February, 2018 to be conducted in association with Andaman & Nicobar Administration at ITF Ground, Port Blair. He also distributed Black gram (CIARI Urd 1) seed to the 19 progressive farmers for demonstration in the field. Mr Mahadev Majhi emphasized about the problems faced by the farmers of Collinpur area on cultivation of rice and pulse crops. Dr. P K Singh, Principal Scientist & Head (I/c), FCI&P, CIARI, Dr. S. K. Zamir Ahmed, Principal Scientist & I/c Social Science Section and Dr. K. Venkatesan, Scientist were present on this occasion.
Dr. P. K. Singh highlighted about cultivation of pulses such as Mungbean and Urdbean in rice fallow lands of the Islands. Dr. S. K. Zamir Ahmed spoke about importance of pulses and its suitable high yielding varieties for the Islands. A total of 85 farmers (62 Male and 23 Female) participated and got benefitted of the programme. Lastly, the problems faced by the farmers were shared during the question and answers session and addressed by the team. The programme was conducted under the overall guidance of Director, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair.
