Agriculture Dept discusses ongoing programmes and future plans in North Sikkim

GANGTOK, 30 Jan: The Department of Food Security and Agriculture Development held a meeting of officials and field functionaries at the conference hall of the Animal Husbandry Dept at Mangan on 27 January.
A press release issued by Joint Director [North], NK Gurung informs that the meeting was called to look into various developmental activities of the department including the ongoing programmes and those envisaged in the months to come and also to set targets in the future line of action.
The meeting began with the welcome address by Joint Director [North], NK Gurung followed by a brief introduction of the Rabi programmes under execution in the district [cluster approach on crops like wheat, buckwheat, mustard and ensuing maize]. A presentation on rural composting units and vermi composting units under internal control system approach was also made, the release informs.
This was followed by a deliberation by the project coordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mangan, Tshering Thendup Bhutia on the activities of the KVK. This included various training programmes organized in the district, development of better planting materials for farmers, refinement of existing technology and management practices. He also envisaged an on-field remedy for controlling/curtailing the problem of citrus borers in citrus fruits [Oranges], dwelling upon the mandate of the KVK bringing the right technology to the right farmer.
The next speaker was Dy Director [ATMA], North, Tashi Thendup Lepcha who highlighted the activities of ATMA in the district. He apprised the gathering of the farm schools opened in the district being run by farmers’ groups, covering farming and management in other allied sectors, 8 trainings to farmers involved in Rabi crops on cluster approach, and providing exposure trips to farmers in 2 groups to Bangalore and Kalimpong.
Additional Director [Headquarters], Pranay Kishore Dewan expressed that motivation was required in certain belts and communities especially when it came to adopting new methods and accepting change to ensure that farmers’ aversion to new methods and technology went into recession, locational trials of crops in collaboration with KVK could be envisaged, the release mentions. Tie-ups with SIMFED in the marketing of farm produce could augment and boost farm economy and benefit farmers.
He brought to the notice of the gathering that this ensuing season, the department had targeted different varieties of maize for distribution to the farmers in the district. 200 ha under the C-1415 variety, 50 ha under BMH-849 variety, 25 ha under Vijay Composite variety and 3 ha under pop corn ECH-186 variety, the release informs.
The Addl Director noted that since the job of feeding the hungry was, is and would always remain an uphill task, ensuring agriculture as a profitable and viable proposition would require unfaltering efforts on the part of the field workers. The field functionaries on whose shoulders this responsibility rested would, he hoped always remain forward looking and steadfast to go that extra mile, the release further adds.
The last speaker was the Director [Agri], Khorlo Bhutia, who stated that going by size, although North was the largest district it had the minimum area available for agriculture owing to its geographical aspect. He urged the officials and field functionaries to be active and responsive on their work front together with being responsible and positive to the targets set for them by the department and push ahead for higher achievement.
He said that while it was not practically possible to bring about tangible results from every effort made, some very positive results had been obtained on the cultivation and production of crops like ‘rajma’ even in the high altitude croplands of Lachung valley which would not have been possible without the efforts of the field functionaries stationed there.
He emphasized that the Department of Agriculture was a big team where rank and file was not of the highest priority but its strength lay in the ability of its functionaries to discharge their duties, irrespective of their place of responsibility whenever and wherever the call of duty came along.
Closing his address, he assured all officials and field functionaries that the department was always open for support and redressal of their grievances if the need arose. He called upon them to remain positive, sincere, optimistic and steadfast in the discharge of their responsibilities no matter how far the call of duty took them, the release further mentions.