Training on modern agri technology

Correspondent
JONAI, March 31 – At a time when the rural farmers had to face economic hardship due to their inadequate agricultural land and rapid retardation of agricultural production rate, the ‘Friends of Rural Mass (FORM)’, a Jonai-based NGO, is raising hope by imparting training on modern agriculture technologies.

A three-day training-cum-workshop for rural farmers was organised under the aegis of the NGO in active collaboration with the Dhemaji district Agriculture department at Jonai Agriculture Training Hall recently.

The three-day training programme which concluded last month stressed judicious application of chemical pesticides in edible crops and vegetables, integrated pest management (IPM) with special reference to biological control of pest, soil testing and management, integrated nutrients management (INM) and methods and methodologies of System of Rice Intensification (SRI).

Inaugurating the programme, Madan Pegu, SDAO of Jonai, explained the various wings of Agriculture department with the recent agriculture schemes that has been implemented in the State. He laid stress on the importance to attend agriculture training for achieving increased agricultural produce by adopting modern technologies.

Dipen Saikia, an agriculture resource person-cum-coordinator of Silapathar RVC (NGO) had elaborately explained on application of SRI technology with special reference to improved varieties of paddy crop while Navajyoti Deori from North Star Club (Jonai) discussed the ways of upliftment of rural economy through the local NGOs.

The technical session was also attended by Yusub Ali, Agriculture Development Officer, Kamal Pegu and Prafulla Kaman as resource persons, discussed various topics like mechanical and traditional methods of IPM, bio-pesticides, concept of ETL (economic threshold level) and application of Bordo-Mixture etc. The training witnessed by 30 farmers of the subdivision including NGO members had sessions on practical demonstration of traditional methods of pests control and soil testing. The concluding programmes was ended with valedictory functions. The participant trainers were given certificates after successful completion of the training programme.

Training on agriculture marketing: A three-day training for the farmers of Dhemaji district on ‘Marketing of agriculture products’ was held at Guwahati Sankardev Kalakshetra recently, a press release stated. The programme was organised by the State Agriculture department under its Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojna (RKVY) scheme. The training which ended on February 18 last was attended by about 60 farmers of Dhemaji district.

The first day’s programme included a tour to the nearby agriculture and plantation project sites.

The training was inaugurated by Gunajit Goswami, marketing consultant of World Bank aided project. In course of his speech, he elaborated various commercial cultivations including processing and marketing of edible crops, grain species and oil seeds. Another resource person Durgeswar Thakuria, Deputy Director of Agriculture (seed) had explained on quality seed production with special reference to improved varieties of rice and different levels of seed village scheme.

On the concluding day Banshidhar Kalita Sr ADO discussed on organic farming while Pabitra Kalita, faculty member, SIRD elaborated the various aspects of agriculture marketing. Besides then Raman Bhuyan, technical assistant of marketing, and Sr ADO Kailash Ch Talukdar also delivered a lecture on the occasion. ASSAM TRIBUNE