TNAU designates scientists as nodal officers to work with Agri. Dept.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has designated scientists as nodal officers to work with Agriculture Department officers, across the State, said a University release detailing the steps it had taken to help farmers during the lockdown.

The University had 39 research stations, 14 colleges and as many Krishi Vigyan Kendras spread across the State.

It had identified and designated scientists in each of the districts and shared their list with the State government.

The identified persons would work alongside the Agriculture Department officials there to help farmers overcome problems during the lockdown period.

Quality seeds

The release also said the University was also taking steps to ensure availability of quality seeds as the Indian Meteorological Department and the University had predicted normal South West Monsoon, which was just six weeks away.

As the farmers would start preparation by June, the University, based on instructions from Vice-Chancellor N. Kumar and Director of Research K.S. Subramanian had asked its scientists to ensure availability of quality seeds, planting materials and bio-inoculants.

After listing a few more steps the University had taken like giving RT-PCR machines to the Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Coimbatore, and another hospital to be used in testing persons, the release said the University was yet to assess the impact of the lockdown on rural livelihood.

It would take some more time for the assessment, it said and added that the issues that the farmers faced now were labour shortage, difficulty in hiring vehicles to transport produce or inputs and price of produce at farmgate.

In a few cases, there were instances of farmers dumping produce as well, the release said and added that the University was doing all it could to help farmers, the release said.