Agri - Kaleidoscope: NICRA

ICAR Research Complex, Meghalaya recommends Contingency Plan for drought like situation in NEH Region through NICRA Awareness –cum- Training Programme.

In view of the drought like situation in NEH region due to recent climate change; ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Meghalaya organized a one day Awareness-cum- Training Programme under NICRA on 2nd August, 2014 with an objective to sensitize various stakeholders regarding adaptation and mitigation strategies under climate resilient agriculture and to recommend contingency plan to face drought like situations. More than 180 farmers and farm women covering most of the districts of Meghalaya along with some NGOs working in agriculture sector, state extension functionaries, media agencies and scientists attended the awareness programme.

Inaugurating the programme, the Chief Guest Mr. Daniel Ingty, Director (Horticulture), Govt. of Meghalaya lauded the efforts of ICAR Research Complex, Meghalay for contemplating such a time befitting programme which awakened the farming community regarding the climate resilient technologies and contingency plan for mitigating the prevailing drought like situations in Meghalaya.

Expressing concern over the present climate change Dr. N. S. A. Azad Thakur, Principal Scientist and Head, Division of NRM said that the intense drought like situation in Meghalaya has an adverse impact on kharif crops that may lead to large scale yield loss in kharif paddy specially. He informed that a suitable contingency plan has been chalked out by ICAR RC NEH Region keeping eye upon the recent climatic aberrations which has been disseminated to stakeholders through SMS on KIRAN portal (www.kiran.nic.in) of the institute.

On this occasion the scientists of ICAR RC NEH Region discussed about the contingency measures in agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and fishery sector for adaptation under climate stress condition through brief presentations followed by Farmers’-Scientists’ interaction. Chairing over the interaction session Dr. S. V. Ngachan, Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Meghalaya suggested farmers for adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture by following the recommended mitigation strategies. During the programme some critical inputs like water lifting pump along with low cost plastic pipes, seeds, planting materials, vitamins and minerals mixtures for livestock were distributed among the farmers as an input support system to tackle drought like situation due to long dry spell of monsoon.

Earlier Dr. A.K. Tripathi, Principal Scientist and Head, Division of Social Science spelt out the importance of sensitizing the stakeholders with suitable contingency plans for addressing the problems under drought like situations. At the outset Dr. A. Venkatesh, Principal Scientist (Agro Forestry) and I/C PI, NICRA welcomed the gatherings and at last Dr. A. K. Mohanty, Principal Scientist (Agril. Extension) proposed vote of thanks for the grand success of the programme.


*Chief Guest Mr. Daniel Ingty, Director (Horticulture), Govt. of Meghalaya addressing the gatherings*		Dr. S. V. Ngachan, Director, ICAR RC NEH chairing the Farmers’-Scientists’ Interaction session

Stakeholders attending the NICRA Awareness-cum-Training programme		Dr. S.V. Ngachan, Director, ICAR RC NEH distributing inputs to the farmers