WORLD SOIL DAY CUM RABI KISAN SAMMELAN.
KVK Ri-Bhoi in collaboration with NRM Division, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam celebrated “World Soil Day cum Rabi Kisan Sammelan” on 5th December 2016 at Dr M. S. Swaminathan Auditorium, ICAR Umiam.
The Chief Guest, Smt. Rona Khymdeit, Member of District Council, Nongpoh Constituency, Ri-Bhoi district explained her happiness to be a part of this programme and urged the farmers to utilize waste material for improve soil health and the productivity of crop. She also explained the aims to connect people with soils and raise awareness on their critical importance by restoring and preserving the soil health. She also urged the farmers to take advantage of such programmes for a sustainable future in agriculture and a secure livelihood. Furthermore, she stressed on the fact of cultivating pulses for better soil health management, as per this year’s theme for World Soil Day, 'Soils and pulses, a symbiosis for life'.
Dr. S. V. Ngachan, Director, ICAR, Umiam and Chairman of the programme also expressed his views about soil health with proper use of local resources for soil health improvement as well as saving of mother earth to increase productivity for food security.
Dr. S. Hazarika, Principal Scientist (Soil Science) & Section Head under NRM Division presented in brief on soil health and organic manure production process to improve soil health, food and nutritional security.
Dr. Rajumoni Bordoloi, Principal Scientist, ICAR-ATARI, Zone-III, express his happiness in a huge farmers gathering and urged the farmers to cooperate with ICAR- KVK Scientists to test their soil and apply the technologies to improve soil health which might help to increase the productivity of crops. At the beginning of the programme, Dr. M. Mokidul Islam, Programme Coordinator welcome all the farmers participant and the dignitaries on the dais and off the dais.
About 200 soil health cards (SHC) was issued to farmers of fourteen different villages of Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya. About 14 Soil Testing Kits were also distributed to 14 farmers of the 14 participating villages.
In addition, through Rabi Kisan Sammelan of KVK Ri Bhoi, the farmers were made aware about the various technologies developed at ICAR for wider dissemination and application by the farmer of Ri Bhoi district in particular and Meghalaya as a whole through Farmers’- Scientist interactions, distribution of technological inputs like Lentil (var. HUL-57) 100 kg and pea (var. Arkel & Vikash) 100 kg to the interested farmers during the programme Under Tribal- Sub- Plan (TSP). The programme ended with a vote of thanks by Dr. Manoj Kumar, Scientist (Soil Science) with the recitation of poem in Hindi on Soil Health Management.
Chief Guest, Smti. Rona Khymdeit, Hon’ble MDC, Nongpoh Constituency addressing the gathering
