The Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Kerala and Lakshadweep will focus on soil fertility management, productivity enhancement of major crops, and value addition and entrepreneurship development in agriculture.
The strategies and action plan for this were discussed and finalised at a three-day meeting held at the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) under the leadership of the ICAR Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Bangaluru.
ATARI Director M.J. Chandra Gowda told the KVK scientists that presenting the most viable and pragmatic technology to the farming community should be their priority. Location-specific trials to establish efficacy of technologies should be taken up to enthuse farmers and induce confidence in them, he said.
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Enhanced productivity and appropriate post-harvest technology would help improve farmers’ income, Dr. Gowda added. He discussed the innovative strategies with Vice Chancellor R. Chandra Babu, who offered full support to the system.
The conclave decided to introduce latest technologies to main extension system through on-farm trials, frontline demonstrations, and training programmes. The thrust will be on integrated farming systems and biological control for plant health management.
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The main technologies recommended for adoption are bio-intensive management of emerging pests in coconut, vegetables, and paddy; use of granular dolomite for management of acidity in paddy fields; nutritional vegetable gardens; microbial consortium for improving water quality in fish ponds; inter-cropping of horsegram in coconut gardens; crop rotation with little millet as a climate-smart crop; introducing short-duration, heat-tolerant pulses in rice fallows; use of coir pith for wick irrigation etc.
Scientists from fourteen KVKs in Kerala and the Lakshadweep KVK participated in the discussions led by KAU Director of Extension Jiju P. Alex and ATARI scientists D.V. Srinivasa Reddy and B.T. Raidu.