Zonal Monitoring Team From Crida, Hyderabad Visits NICRA Village

Fatehgarh Sahib/Ludhiana, April 20, 2015: A team of zonal monitory committee from Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad visited Fatehgarh Sahib to monitor the climate resilient activities in village Badhouchhi Kalan under the project National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) funded by ICAR, New Delhi. 

The Associate Director of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Fatehgarh Sahib said NICRA project is being operated by KVK since 2011. It is a pilot project which started in 100 villages of India and village Badhouchhi Kalan is one of the four villages in Punjab. 

The team was headed by Dr. A K Dhawan as Chairman, Zonal Monitoring Committee and Dr D.B.J Parshad, Dr A K Tiwari and Dr. D S Bhatti as its members. The team monitored the climate resilient activities based on national resource management, crop production and livestock modules, told he. 

The team also discussed various aspects related to effect of climate change on crops and livestock. Besides, the team visited the interventions on happy seeder technology, laser land leveler, biogas plants and vermi compost units conducted by KVK, Fatehgarh Sahib, he informed. Dr Dhawan, while addressing the farmers emphasised on conservation of natural resources in the back drop of climate variability. He also sensitized the farmers not to burn the crop residues as burning leads to environmental pollution, loss of biodiversity and loss of nutrients to the tune of 350 crores in the state. Dr A K Tiwari, Director, Soil Conservation Institute, Chandigarh said the variability in rainfall pattern during the month of March has spoiled the bumper crop in Punjab and Haryana, thus breaking the record of last 90 years. Dr. D.B.J Parshad from CRIDA, Hyderabad observed, “Agriculture scientists are facing major challenges for current and future livelihood of farming community”. 

Dr. G.P.S Sodhi, Associate Director(Trg.), KVK, Fatehgarh Sahib asked the farmers to follow agricultural technologies recommended by PAU in order to enhance crop productivity as well as soil fertility. Later, Dilbag Singh ex sarpanch, Badhouchhi Kalan proposed the vote of thanks.