Adopting new approaches to farming underscored
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 30 2018: A two days 'ICAR Interface Meeting with Stakeholders and Farmers' started today at Indian Medical Association (IMA) Hall, Lamphelpat organised by ICAR Manipur Centre, Lamphelpat.

The programme as inaugurated by Prof M Premjit Singh, Vice-Chancellor, CAU, Imphal as chief guest; K Kipgen, Director (Horticulture and Soil Conservation) and Dr JM Laishram, Dean, College of Agriculture, CAU as guests of honour and Dr Narendra Prakash, Director ICAR RC NEHR, Umian, Meghalaya as president.

The main objective of the interface meeting was to bring out recommendation of package of practices and address problems faced by the farmers in the State towards doubling of farmers' income.

The programme was attended by a number of officials from line departments, farmers from various districts of the state, KVKs of different districts of the state, staff and scientist of ICAR and CAU, State Department of Agriculture, Horticulture, Fishery, Veterinary, NABARD, NGO, SHG and farmers' club.

In his speech, Prof Premjit stated that farmers in the State are facing a number of problems in crop cultivation and farming.

He asserted that as rice is the major crop and lifeline of farmers in the State, there is a need to make rice cultivation more profitable by adopting new approaches and scientific method of farming.

He conveyed that through seed replacement by High Yielding Varieties and SRI method the rice production can be increased from average 4 tons per hectare to 7 tones per hectare in the State.

Along with this, adoption of integrated farming system, farm mechanization and providing assured irrigation are important strategies for increasing farm income, he added.

Dr JM Laishram stated that through this programme we can identify what are the technologies available for the farmers and what are to be developed and priorities programme to be taken up in order to solve the problem of farmers.

Kipgen stated that the interface programme is important for solving various issues and problems faced by the farmers in the State.

Dr Prakash highlighted the role and initiatives taken up by ICAR North East Hill Region for development of agriculture and promotion of farmer in the region.

He stated that this interface meeting is very important to find out the technologies suitable for farmers in the State and recommend future action plan for development of farmers.

Various resource persons and experts from ICAR, CAU, CSIR-NEIST and officials from the line departments participated in the technical session on various issues related to farming.

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