Shillong, March 29: Farmer field day was observed by conducting daylong awareness, exposure and training on modern doable agro-technologies like Integrated organic farming system which are ensured to double farm income and increase the livelihood security of tribal farmers from nearby villages Mynsain, Pynthor and Umden of Ribhoi district was held recently under ICAR funded Network Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) at ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam.
The programme was keenly participated and benefitted around 79 farmers who basically hailed from above three villages. The principal purpose of the programme was to acquaint and familiarize the resource poor hill farmers to the technical knowhow of integrated organic farming methods for cultivating various crops to enhance system productivity and profitability. This programme was coordinated by Dr. Jayanta Layek (Scientist Agronomy), and Dr. Krishnappa R (Scientist, Crop Physiology) and Dr Subhash Babu (Scientist Agronomy) along with project and field staff.
During the programme, Dr. Rajesh Kumar (Senior Scientist and Incharge Head, Crop Production) highlighted the farmers on the importance of conserving the nutrient rich top soil from leaching due to unprecedented soil erosion across slopy land terrains of north eastern hill agriculture and dragged the attention of farmers to adopt organic approach in cultivation of crops for augmented environmental health.
Afterwards, Dr. R. Laha Principal Scientist, Veterinary Parasitology and Incharge Director emphasized the importance of livestock and poultry production in practicing integrated organic farming and brought the success story of Sikkim to clinch the title of becoming first organic state across whole India. Further he requested the fellow farmers to make the hill bound sate Meghalaya as the second organic state in India and informed the farmers to create market linkages to harness the apparent premium price fetching to organic products in urban India that are produced from Meghalaya.
Later, the farmers were taken to field exposure cum practical demonstration with enlightened briefing about ongoing long term project trails under NPOF by Dr. Jayanta Layek wherein he emphasized unique methods of conservation agricultural practices such as Zero tillage of pea and lentil after rice harvesting, cultivation of legumes and incorporation crop biomass/green manuring in rice fallows, retention of maize stubbles for French bean cultivation and other mulching practices to abate intermittent droughts and to improve soil health.
Further, Dr. R. Krishnappa also created awareness about the cultivation of new crops in the region i.e chickpea and buckwheat which are befittingly growing in the acid soils of the north east India. In addition he was stating to the farmers that undertaking right sowing of chickpea at around second forth night of October just after rice harvest and providing life saving irrigation at seed germination and seedling establishment will help the farmers to maintain vigorous vegetative growth and optimum canopy spread along with plenty of root nodulation which particularly enriches the nutrient poor hill soil with very much needed nitrogen nutrient to the extent of 15-18kg per hactare. Moreover he informed that lesser known buckwheat crop, being emerging as potential climate resilient crop have capability to exude more root exudates to release essential phosphorus from fixed forms in acid soil and assist in sustaining soil health in greater way.
Moreover, Dr. T. Ramesh (Scientist, Soil Science) explained to the farmers the procedures and role of soil testing using distinct soil health testing kit developed by ICAR NEH in which the actual soil from the farmers field will be tested to know the status and fertility of soil in terms of soil health card which is very essential for an organic farmer at hill based agro-ecosystem. Primary and vital soil parameters such as pH, EC, organic carbon, N, P,K, S, Zn, B, Cu and Fe will be tested for advocating appropriate recommendation and application of organic amendments to balance and meet the deficiency or toxicity of essential elements.
Later the farmers were distributed the required primary inputs like seasonal vegetable seeds (French bean, carrot, coriander, pumpkin, bhindi, etc.), knapsack sprayers, water supply cans and other handy farming tools to reduce the drudgery and enhance the overall productivity of small landholdings with low investment in north eastern region.
