The ICAR-NRRI, Cuttack organized a “Pre-KharifWorkshop &Farmers’ Training Program”under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP)in the adopted village Ramthenga of Danagadi block, Jajpur, Odisha on 6th July, 2018.The day-long program was attended by over one hundred fifty tribal farmers and farmwomen of the village apart from Heads of Divisions, scientistsandTeam Members associated with TSP program, and also the staff of the Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS), a field level collaborating organization.
Inaugurating and gracing the workshop, Director of the institute Dr. Himanshu Pathak highlighted the purposes of the TSP initiative for development of tribal dominated areas of the country and bringing thisunderprivileged section of the society to the mainstream of development process. He urged the participating farmers and farmwomen to adopt modern agricultural practices and farm mechanization being demonstrated by the institute for increasing their income, while reducing cost of cultivation and drudgery. He also assured full support for carrying out various farm and non-farm development activities in the cluster. Later he handed over ninety seven agricultural implements namely, Three-row seed drill (04), Four-row drum seeder (03), Four-row manual transplanter(02), Star conoweeder(10), Finger weeder (60), Manual rice winnower (03), Mini paddy parboiling unit (03) and Rice husk stove (12) to the Ramthenga “Farm Inputs Users’ Association” (FIUA) formed through Gram Sabha under the TSP during 2016 for demonstration and use by all villagers under custom hiring basis. He also distributed saplings of tissue culture banana, papaya and drumstick saplings to all participants forgrowing in their backyard nutritional gardens.In the beginning of the workshop, Dr. S.K. Mishra PS & TSP associate welcome the guests and participants, followed by a brief presentation on various activities and achievements under TSP by Dr. SanjoySaha,PS & Nodal Officer, TSP. In the afternoon, a‘Farmers-scientists interactionSession-cum- Training program was organized on scientific rice farming practices for upcoming kharif season, paddy seed village program, plant protection measures, farm mechanization, vermi-composting and care of nutritional gardens for capacity building of the participants.
 |
 |
| Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director addressing the audience during the workshop | Director handing over the farm implements to the Office Bearers of the FIUA |