ATMA Kohima exposure tour to ICAR, Barapani

ATMA Kohima conducted an exposure tour to ICAR Research complex, Barapani Shillong from August 17 to 19 under PMKSY where 15 farmers along with 3 ATMA officials attended the tour programme.

The team visited the ICAR research complex, various farming units which were under study where resource person, scientist agricultural extension Dr. Pankaj Kumar Sinha and  scientist agronomy Dr. Subhash shared on various models for integrated organic food production to sustain income for low and marginal farmers with land holding less than a hectare both in low land and up land areas. The importance and advantages of land rotation for various vegetable crops and intercropping of cereal, pulses, oil seeds were also shared to the farmers. Vertical farming in dry terrace called Agro-pastoral based farming system which is under study to reduce soil erosion and runoff water was briefed. Agri- Horti –Silvi pastoral system to study the diversification of crops were also explained. Farmers were encouraged to go for local variety fruits and that every piece of land is potential so to not let it remain fallow stated the resource person. All these models are purely based on integrated organic food production where nutrients cycle is balanced without any requirements or procurements from outside the farm.

The group also visited the various model for water harvesting system such as water harvest pond in up-land area and low cost system called “Jalkund” to collect maximum runoff water for various agricultural practices. The farmers also got to see various agricultural implements and learnt how these machineries were operated both in up-land and low land areas.