ICAR demonstrates quality Kharif vegetable production techniques for farmers at Sirwani

GANGTOK, 17 June: ICAR Sikkim Centre organized a ‘Front Line Demonstration’ [FLD] on ‘Quality Kharif Vegetable Production Techniques for Livelihood Improvement’ at Sirwani in East Sikkim today. 39 farmers attended the program and showed keen interest to learn the ICAR vegetable production technologies, an ICAR press release informs. The programme was held under the Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH-I), it is informed.
Inaugurating the program, the Joint Director, ICAR Sikkim Centre, Dr. RK Avasthe, stressed that large scale cultivation of vegetables will also facilitate easy marketing and ensure higher returns. He distributed seeds of okra, French bean, bitter gourd and ridge gourd to all the attending farmers under HMNEH-I project. As per his earlier commitment to the farmers of the region, he also distributed eight Jalkunds and Biopesticides under NICRA project, the release adds.
Guest of Honour, BM Gazmer, Member, Gram Panchayat Unit appreciated the technology transfer efforts of ICAR Sikkim Centre to promote the vegetable production in the region. She urged the farmers towards quick adoption of the ICAR organic vegetable production technologies.
Dr. Ashish Yadav, Senior Scientist (Horticulture), in turn highlighted the importance of vegetable cultivation and detailed the organic cultivation practices of okra, French bean, bitter gourd and ridge gourd as a profitable venture for the region during kharif season.
Dr. Raghavendra Singh, Senior Scientist (Agronomy) spoke on good agricultural practices for vegetable crops and emphasized the need for crop rotation with leguminous crops to avoid nutrition depletion in soil.
Boniface Lepcha, Program Assistant, KVK Ranipool, coordinated the event and explained the construction techniques of Jalkund and discussed various relevant issues related to organic vegetable production system.