ICAR-VPKAS, Almora Organizes Comprehensive Farmer Awareness Programs under ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’

ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora successfully organized a series of one-day farmer awareness programs under the "Khet Bachao Abhiyan" across various villages in Almora district.

This campaign is being conducted under the overall guidance of Dr Lakshmi Kant, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun. The primary objective of these programs was to make farmers aware of balanced fertilizer use, soil health, crop protection, and modern techniques of sustainable farming. Under this campaign, awareness programs and farmer interactive meets were organized in Pased, Sunola, and Pakhura villages of Hawalbagh development block, Kafalgair (Syalde), Chamua (Dhauladevi), and Matila Dhura (Tarikhet).

More than 100 farmers, including both men and women, enthusiastically registered their active participation. During the interactive meets, scientists from the institute guided the farmers by holding detailed discussions on balanced and soil-test-based fertilizer use, integrated nutrient management, green manure, bio-fertilizers, the use of organic sources like vermicompost, and crop diversification.

Under this special campaign, practical training was provided to farmers in Matila Dhura and Chamua villages, focusing mainly on: organic and natural farming, scientific decomposition and utilization of farmyard manure, crop residue management, mulching, line sowing, and mixed farming. Additionally, improved seeds of vegetables (leguminous vegetables) were distributed to women farmers in Matila Dhura, to ensure nutritional security, and to enhance their income. In the same sequence, farmers in Kafalgair, and Sunola, were given detailed information on soil and water conservation measures, moisture conservation in sloping prakshetras, and vital measures to maintain long-term productivity.

During the programs, local farmers placed their major problems before the scientists; prominent among which were crop damage caused by wildlife, such as monkeys, wild boars, and peacocks; the outbreak of the white grub pest; and the lack of irrigation infrastructure. Promptly responding to these issues, scientists advised integrated measures for white grub management, such as using well-decomposed farmyard manure, VL Light Traps, and Bacillus cereus-based bio-agents. Along with this, to minimize damage from wildlife, guidance was provided on adopting crops that suffer relatively less damage, such as turmeric and ginger, and starting self-employment ventures, like beekeeping and mushroom production, for additional income.

The successful coordination of all these important programs was carried out by various teams of scientists, and technical personnel, from Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan. These teams familiarized the farmers with various welfare schemes of the Central, and State Governments; soil health management; and advanced techniques of sustainable hill agriculture. The farmers present on this occasion highly appreciated this effort of the institute, and stated that this awareness campaign would prove extremely useful, and timely, for protecting their prakshetras, reducing cultivation costs, and increasing their income.

(Source: ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora)