GANGTOK, 21 Nov: The concept of agro-biodiversity is considered to be most important for maintaining a healthy and strong regional food system which prompted the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, ICAR Sikkim Centre, East Sikkim, Ranipool to launch large scale potato cultivation programme in the quake stricken Nandok village of East Sikkim as an alternative paradigm for climate resilient crop production system, informs a press release.
Against this backdrop, a ‘Seed distribution–cum-training programme’ was organized on 19 November by the KVK, Ranipool under the ICAR initiated National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project with an objective to develop and promote climate resilient technologies in agriculture that will address the problems of the climatic vulnerable regions of the country mostly prone to extreme weather conditions like drought, flood, frost, heat waves etc.; ensuring food and nutritional security of all, particularly resource poor small and marginal farmers mostly affected by climate change or any natural calamities.
Through a community based participatory decision-making process led by the Nandok Panchayat member, Umakant Sharma, more than 170 beneficiaries were selected from Lower Nandok and Upper Nandok to be the part of this NICRA sponsored Potato cultivation programme, which is more resilient to biotic and abiotic stress of this region, the release informs.
Nearly 50 quintals of local potato seeds (cv. Holland) collected from Ribi Okray area of West Sikkim by SIMFED, Gangtok were procured and distributed among the selected beneficiaries that include five SHGs as well.
The programme was initiated by SMS (Agril. Extn.), SN Mehta followed by remarks by Village Panchayat, Umakant Sharma in which he extolled the efforts of KVK (ICAR) in bringing food security in the region through the intervention of location specific suitable innovative farm technologies and called for peoples’ cooperation and genuine participation for making this NICRA programme successful.
Later Ex-Zilla Panchayat, East Sikkim, Tek Bahadur Rai extending his thanks to KVK(ICAR), East Sikkim for such timely intervention in Nandok village which he said might bring prosperity in the village by enhancing agricultural productivity.
Programme Coordinator, KVK (ICAR), East Sikkim, Dr. AK Mohanty said that after the devastation due to the recent earthquake, the potato crop, considered to be a cash crop, was taken up under NICRA project in the village with the approval of the village community, the release mentions. He informed that the potato seeds (cv. Holland) collected locally was found to be a high yielder under the local agro-climatic situation with resistance towards the most dreaded blight disease and tolerant to the red ant, which are considered to be important biotic threats for the potato crop. He suggested seed exchange programmes and setting up seed banks, so that the benefit may flow to other farmers also.
The seed distribution programme was followed by the training-cum-demonstration programme on the basis of “learning by doing” principle. Scientist (Hort.), ICAR Sikkim Centre, Dr. Ashok Kumar and SMS (Hort.), Dr. R. C. Verma conducted the demonstration programme on potato seed sowing in the field in the presence of beneficiary farmers. The farmers were thoroughly imparted the knowledge and skill about techniques like seed treatment with Trichoderma spp and methods of land preparation, seed selection and planting etc, the release further informs.
The distribution-cum-training programme was attended by Ex-Zilla Panchayat, East Sikkim, Tek Bahadur Rai; Programme Coordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, ICAR Sikkim Centre, East Sikkim, Ranipool, Dr. A. K. Mohanty; Scientist (Horticulture), ICAR Sikkim Centre, Tadong, Dr. Ashok Kumar; Nandok Panchayat member, Umakant Sharma; SMS (Horticulture), Dr. RC Verma; SMS (Agril. Extn.), S N Mehta; SMS (Agronomy) of KVK, East Sikkim, M Kumar.
Against this backdrop, a ‘Seed distribution–cum-training programme’ was organized on 19 November by the KVK, Ranipool under the ICAR initiated National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project with an objective to develop and promote climate resilient technologies in agriculture that will address the problems of the climatic vulnerable regions of the country mostly prone to extreme weather conditions like drought, flood, frost, heat waves etc.; ensuring food and nutritional security of all, particularly resource poor small and marginal farmers mostly affected by climate change or any natural calamities.
Through a community based participatory decision-making process led by the Nandok Panchayat member, Umakant Sharma, more than 170 beneficiaries were selected from Lower Nandok and Upper Nandok to be the part of this NICRA sponsored Potato cultivation programme, which is more resilient to biotic and abiotic stress of this region, the release informs.
Nearly 50 quintals of local potato seeds (cv. Holland) collected from Ribi Okray area of West Sikkim by SIMFED, Gangtok were procured and distributed among the selected beneficiaries that include five SHGs as well.
The programme was initiated by SMS (Agril. Extn.), SN Mehta followed by remarks by Village Panchayat, Umakant Sharma in which he extolled the efforts of KVK (ICAR) in bringing food security in the region through the intervention of location specific suitable innovative farm technologies and called for peoples’ cooperation and genuine participation for making this NICRA programme successful.
Later Ex-Zilla Panchayat, East Sikkim, Tek Bahadur Rai extending his thanks to KVK(ICAR), East Sikkim for such timely intervention in Nandok village which he said might bring prosperity in the village by enhancing agricultural productivity.
Programme Coordinator, KVK (ICAR), East Sikkim, Dr. AK Mohanty said that after the devastation due to the recent earthquake, the potato crop, considered to be a cash crop, was taken up under NICRA project in the village with the approval of the village community, the release mentions. He informed that the potato seeds (cv. Holland) collected locally was found to be a high yielder under the local agro-climatic situation with resistance towards the most dreaded blight disease and tolerant to the red ant, which are considered to be important biotic threats for the potato crop. He suggested seed exchange programmes and setting up seed banks, so that the benefit may flow to other farmers also.
The seed distribution programme was followed by the training-cum-demonstration programme on the basis of “learning by doing” principle. Scientist (Hort.), ICAR Sikkim Centre, Dr. Ashok Kumar and SMS (Hort.), Dr. R. C. Verma conducted the demonstration programme on potato seed sowing in the field in the presence of beneficiary farmers. The farmers were thoroughly imparted the knowledge and skill about techniques like seed treatment with Trichoderma spp and methods of land preparation, seed selection and planting etc, the release further informs.
The distribution-cum-training programme was attended by Ex-Zilla Panchayat, East Sikkim, Tek Bahadur Rai; Programme Coordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, ICAR Sikkim Centre, East Sikkim, Ranipool, Dr. A. K. Mohanty; Scientist (Horticulture), ICAR Sikkim Centre, Tadong, Dr. Ashok Kumar; Nandok Panchayat member, Umakant Sharma; SMS (Horticulture), Dr. RC Verma; SMS (Agril. Extn.), S N Mehta; SMS (Agronomy) of KVK, East Sikkim, M Kumar.
Can anybody tell me what is the plantation time? Because plantation time varies in hill from plain
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