Home Dehradun IISWC holds Farmer-Scientist Interaction with Boxa tribals

IISWC holds Farmer-Scientist Interaction with Boxa tribals

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By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 16 Sep: ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun, organised a one-day Kisan Gosthi for farmer-scientist interaction as part of the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, under the Tribal Sub-Plan on 14 September at Badripur, Vikasnagar. At this programme, 150 plants of Lemon and Papaya were distributed to 100 men and women farmers of Boxa tribal families to create awareness about nutritional security and natural resource conservation through tree planting.
The programme was inaugurated by Dr Charan Singh, Head of Plant Science Division, who informed the farmers about the Tribal Sub-Plan of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He discussed livelihood security alternatives like mushroom cultivation, sericulture, fish rearing, bee keeping, goat rearing and poultry farming. Dr Harsh Mehta, Principal Scientist (Plant Breeding), highlighted the importance of agroforestry in doubling farmers’ income. He also emphasised the cultivation of traditional cereals like mandua, jhingora, kanui, etc., to fortify their diet with minerals and vitamins, as these crops are also nutri-cereals.
Dr AC Rathore, Principal Scientist (Horticulture) spoke about the latest scientific techniques of growing strawberry, tomato and mushroom, for increasing income, improving health and livelihood security. Dr J Jayaprakash, Sr. Scientist (Forestry) gave a lecture on tree plantation on boundary and shelter belt in the background of the climate change scenario.
In addition to the officers and employees of the institute, about 100 farmers from Badripur and Medinipur villages actively participated in the meeting during the question–answer session and plantation drive.
Present on this occasion were Pramod Kumar, Chatar Singh, Ravish Singh, Bidya Chanu, Abhishek Pundir, Narender Kumar, Sunil Rathour, along with officers and staff. Village Pradhan Subhash Chandra Saini, Ex-Pradhan Ghanshyam and farmers Tikam Singh, Atar Singh, Naresh Kumar, Shyamlal, Jagatram, Rajesh Kumar, Raju Kumar, Deepak, Babita, Reena and Surender Singh, etc., participated in the meet.