CAU tasked to find rice resilient to climate change
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 24 2019:
Taking the changing climatic conditions and the frequent occurrence of natural calamities like drought and flood into consideration, Central Agricultural University (CAU) has started researching rice varieties which are resilient to floods and droughts.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, CAU Professor L Nabachandra said that after it was predicted in the State Climate Change Action Plan organised by the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change that Churachandpur and other valley based districts will face reduction in rice produce this year, the study was initiated first in Churachandpur.
He informed that the study was launched based on the instruction of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Science and Technology to find rice varieties which are not affected by floods and droughts and added that young paddy saplings have been collected from the districts concerned and planted for the study.
The rice varieties collected for the study are planted using age old techniques, which are based on the information collected from the farmers, he added.
Prof L Nabachandra said that study also involves other plants and alternative crops as well.
Investigation is also underway to see if cassava (U-Mangra) or water chestnuts (Heikak) can be used as an alternative crop during drought when rice cannot grow.
It may be mentioned that the State Government declared the State as drought hit on August 31 and following the announcement, the State Relief and Disaster Management had sent a memorandum to the Centre.
An inter Ministerial team will visit the State soon to monitor the situation.