Training insists farmers dig for integrated farming system
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 03 2018: Stating that many farmers in the State have shunned agriculture and taken up other occupations as conventional agricultural methods practised in the State generate meager income, Central Agricultural University (CAU) VC Professor M Premjit today underscored the need for implementation of integrated farming system in the State to enhance farmers' income.

He was speaking as the chief guest in the inaugural function of a capacity building training programme on "Integrated Sustainable Duck Farming" organised by the Directorate of Extension Education, CAU at the Conference Hall of College of Agriculture (COA), CAU, Iroishemba, Imphal.

The ICAR-Agricultural Technological Application Research Institute, Umiam (Barapani), Meghalaya sponsored the training programme.

The VC further said that the State may eventually encounter perilous circumstances like import of rice from other States if the disengagement of farmers from agricultural activities is not prevented.

Agriculture, which has been the main occupation of Manipur and other North Eastern States, is also of primary importance as there are no big industries in the region.

However, in the prevailing model of agriculture in North East Region, including Manipur, only rice cultivation is carried out, which enables a fanner to generate an income of Rs 12,000 to 14,000 from a hectare of land.

Implementation of integrated farming is important to enhance farmers' income and integration of duck farming as allied activities to agriculture will contribute to this aspect in a big way, he observed.

The Central Government is also setting its vision for initiation of another Green Revolution or Evergreen Revolution in Eastern India, particularly the North East region within the next five year in connection with the Act East Policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also focuses on organic farming in the North East region with the idea that people cannot rely only on food security but also need nutritional security, the Vice Chancellor conveyed while noting that organic farming as a source for nutritional security is must for human health and longer life span.

He went on to say that CAU is the largest agricultural university in the country comprising 13 campuses in the North East and the VCs of the CAU in Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur are being assigned with the responsibility for improving the agriculture sector in the North East and increasing the farmers' income.

Therefore, the VCs with the experts from KVKs and scientists from ICARs discussed about many things related to agriculture in the North East, including the various strategic aspects and adopted integrated farming as one of the most sustainable and beneficial methods for farming in the North East, he added.

He maintained that the integrated farming system can enhance farmers' income from 50 thousand to 3.5 lakhs in a hectare of land and there are many success stories proving this.

Highlighting the benefit of duck farming, Premjit said that a duck can lay up to 40 to 50 eggs more than a hen can do and are also tastier than hen's eggs.

He also mentioned that ducks are much resistant to avian diseases and compliant to biological conditions besides their feces can be used as manures for organic farming.

While delivering the presidential speech, Professor Ratan Kumar Saha, Director of Extension, CAU emphasized the need for integration of duck farming to agriculture, horticulture and other farming activities for a sustainable and beneficial integrated farming.

He also pointed out the importance of adopting scientific method in agriculture and allied farming in the North East region informing the farmers here follow their occupation only in small landholding.

Pointing out that the North East region is insufficient in terms of meat production, he maintained that duck meat is highly preferred by many people and expressed confidence that the training programme will give assistance to many people in the State.

A technical session was also conducted later in the afternoon.

Dr H Chaoba, Director of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Services, Government of Manipur, Dr CA Srinivasamurthy, Director of Research, CAU, Lamphelpat, Imphal and Dr JM Laishram, Dean, College of Agriculture, CAU, Iroishemba, Imphal also attended the function as the guests of honour.

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