PAU trains farmers in crop residue management and agro-processing

Ludhiana, September 21,2023: The Farmer FIRST Project team, under the guidance of the Directorate of Extension Education of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), organized a training camp in the adopted villages of Bhojowali and Bhadalwadh in district Sangrur. The training encompassed a wide range of topics covering effective paddy straw management, Rabi crop cultivation, mushroom farming, and agricultural produce processing. Approximately 50 farmers from these villages actively participated in this training initiative.

Dr Pankaj Kumar fostered a strong rapport with the farmers, and introduced them with various modules and activities of the project.

Dr Vajinder Pal Kalra convinced the farmers to adopt various approaches for paddy stubble management. He introduced them to a variety of measures such as the Happy Seeder, Super Seeder, Surface Seeder, and highlighted their benefits and relevance to sustainable farming. He also encouraged the farmers to diversify their crop choices, moving beyond traditional crops like paddy and wheat. Besides, he highlighted the potential of cultivating alternative crops that could contribute to both farmers' prosperity and ecological sustainability.

Dr Gurveer Kaur shed light on the critical aspect of processing agricultural produce to increase farmers' income. She shared insights into various agro-processing setups and demonstrated their effectiveness. Furthermore, she encouraged the farmers to set up Jaggery processing plants due to the availability of sugarcane in the area. The farmers participated enthusiastically and expressed a strong interest in participating in project activities with a positive outlook.