ICAR Manipur, BKS hold awareness programme on "El Nino and Mitigation Strategies"
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 23 2026: A one-day awareness programme on "El Nino and Its Mitigation in Manipur" was jointly organised by ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre, Lamphelpat and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Manipur Prant at the Conference Hall of Loktak Farmers Hostel on Thursday.

Dinesh Kulkarni, national organising secretary, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, graced the event as chief guest.

Shri Niwas, zonal organising secretary, East & NE, BKS, and N Indubhusan Singh, president, BKS Manipur Prant attended as guests of honour.

Dr S Basanta Singh, Head of Regional Centre, ICAR Manipur Centre, presided over the function.

Delivering the welcome and keynote address, Dr Basanta Singh highlighted the global impact of El Nino.

He said a 1�C rise in Pacific Ocean surface temperature disrupts wind patterns and delays monsoons.

In Manipur, he noted rainfall deficits of 19-20% in plain areas and about 30% in hilly regions against the normal 1500-2000 mm .

He urged farmers to adopt climate-resilient practices such as drought-tolerant RC Maniphou varieties, climatesmart farming, pulses cultivation, Khet Bachao, Natural Farming and Organic Farming.

Dinesh Kulkarni emphasized community-level action and farmer-centric solutions.

He called for strengthening indigenous knowledge, water conservation and closer collaboration between KVKs, ICAR and farmers for food security and climate resilience in the Northeast.

N Indubhusan Singh stressed soil health and urged adoption of vermicomposting and natural farming to reduce dependence on insecticides and weedicides.

To support farmers, agricultural inputs including bee boxes, RC Maniphou-13 rice seeds, RC Manichakhao-1 black rice seeds, vegetable seed kits and battery-operated knapsack sprayers were distributed to 120 beneficiaries.

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