Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu has stressed on developing and extending need-based, low-cost, system-responsive farm technologies for small and marginal farmers who constitute over 80 percent of in the state.
Inaugurating the three-day eastern region regional Agrotech-2021 Mela at Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) on Friday, she said a major part of the state’s arable land remained fallow during the rabi season due to the prevalence of rain-fed farming amid inadequate irrigation facilities. She clalled for focussed research on developing early maturing crop varieties with low water requirement.
“Integrated farming, incorporating animal husbandry, poultry, fishery and forestry in to the system, should be promoted for minimizing losses and insyances of crop failure due to aberrant weather conditions,” she said.
The cCentral theme of the three-day event is "Rural prosperity through diversification of agricultural enterprises."
Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth said the railway ministry has agreed to his proposal for starting Kisan Rail from Jharkhand for transporting agricultural produce, especially perishable commodities, at cheaper rates to help farmers get the right price for their crops.
“Jharkhand being a surplus state in vegetables is already sending pea, capsicum, French bean and cauliflower to various cities of the country by air cargo. Bero, a key vegetable cultivation centre of Ranchi, is sending about 50 truck loads to Chhattisgarh every day,” he said.
“On our Prime Minister’s appeal to explore opportunities in calamity during the COVID-19 phase, hundreds of engineering and management graduates opted for innovative agriculture, dairy and other rural enterprise in Ranchi and other districts of Jharkhand leaving their lucrative jobs in metros,” the MP added.
BAU Vice Chancellor Dr Onkar Nath Singh said water conservation & management, seed replacement with improved varieties and farm mechanization for reducing cost of cultivation of small farm holders were priority areas for the university.
Kanke MLA Samri Lal, Vice Chancellor of Nilamber Pitamber University, Medininagar, Dr Ram Lakhan Singh and Director Extension Education Dr Jagarnath Oraon also underlined the importance of agrotech exhibitions as an effective tool of technology dissemination.
Various government departments, units of BAU, ICAR institutes, banks and dealers of tractors, farm machinery, seeds, fertilizers, along with NGOs have displayed their expertise, products and services in respective stalls, in all numbering 150.
Fresh crop of white turmeric having low curcumin and red turmeric with high curcumin are on display at the horticulture show.
The department of veterinary surgery has displayed very low- cost crutches for supporting small and large animals developing fractures. These can be made easily by animal farmers using aluminium hangers and iron rods available in homes. A model of a low-cost egg incubator of 50 egg capacity, operated by power and battery, costing about one fifth of its market price, is also on display. Forty processed products including those made of nutricereal ragi, prepared by department of home science are on sale.
