Training cum field demonstration on organic kitchen gardening for improved nutritional and livelihood security
One day training cum demonstration programme on “Organic kitchen gardening for improved nutritional and livelihood security” was organized by the Division of Crop Production, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam on the 28th May, 2018 at Mynsain, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya village adopted under the Network Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) with the objective for improving nutritional and livelihood security of the farmers. Altogether 28 farmers from 3 villages under the project viz., Mynsain, Pynthor & Umden Umbathiang attended the training at Mynsain village.
Dr. Jayanta Layek , Scientist (Agronomy) & PI (NPOF), inaugurated the training cum demonstration programme and explained how an organic kitchen garden can generate year round vegetable production for food and nutritional security and earn extra income by selling the surplus in the market. Organic kitchen garden is a good platform for material recycling wherein the kitchen and farmyard waste can be transformed into nutrient rich additive for the garden. The waste water from the kitchen can also be collected or diverted with proper channeling into the garden to supply for the water requirements of the plants. Dr. Utpal Dey explained that taking up an organic kitchen garden may incur cost on seeds and supplies, however, the upside to organic kitchen garden is the avoidance of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides assures that the produce are chemical free, healthy and nutritious and the cost for soil additives have been greatly reduced since synthetic fertilizers are replaced by farm yard manure (FYM) and composted waste which are prepared in the farm field. For controlling the soil borne pathogens add biocontrol agent mixture (Trichoderma harzianum + Pseudomonas fluorescens) @ 5-6 kg/ha after land preparation and mix it with 100 kg well decomposed FYM. He also explained that at the time of sowing/transplanting, seedlings root should be dipped in biocontrol agent solution (Trichoderma harzianum + Pseudomonas fluorescens) @ 20 g/l of water for 30 minutes prior to planting. Ms Daphibanri D Lyngdoh also explained that the spacious open area around the organic kitchen garden can be used for integrating various agricultural allied activities such as horticulture, animal husbandry, fishery, etc. which will help farmers to boost their production as well as increase the benefit cost ratio in comparison to a single component system. To facilitate the development of organic kitchen in farmers’ field, improved seeds of various vegetables (okra, French bean, coriander, lettuce, radish, pumpkin, bottle gourd etc,), seedlings (tomato, chilli, brinjal etc.), organic pesticides like Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas fluorescens etc. were distributed among the farmers.
