NIRJULI, Feb 15: Sixty-seven farmers from Anya and Nirjuli-III villages and nearby areas of Assam benefitted from a ‘farm technology awareness-cum-demonstration mela’ organized by the NERIST’s agricultural engineering department here on Friday.
The programme was aimed at acquainting the farmers with improved technology to help them enhance their income, and to help them develop linkage with education and research institutes, government agencies, and manufacturers and dealers of agricultural tools and machinery.
NERIST Director (in-charge) Prof M Muralidhar, who inaugurated the programme, emphasized the role of the farmers in nation-building, while Agriculture Joint Director Tadu Game spoke on the latest technology available for improving farmers’ income.
Papum Pare Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) project coordinator Dr B Perme highlighted the activities of the KVK, and Prof KN Dewangan spoke on the need for safer agricultural hand tools and machinery.
NERIST Agriculture Department Head Prof SK Shrivastava also spoke.
During the mela, members of the NERIST’s agricultural engineering department and the All India Coordinated Research Project on Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture (AICRP on ESA) demonstrated improved hand tools and machinery for paddy cultivation, ladders for harvesting fruits, remote-controlled power tiller, safety gadgets for daos and sickles, improved backpack for carrying loads, pea planter, maize sheller, etc.
Representatives of Itanagar-based HHT Enterprise, Lekhi-based Agency Centre, and Naharlagun-based Tarak Achak Enterprise exhibited commercially available farm tools, machines and other related products for cultivation.
Food technology expert AK Choudhary demonstration preparation of jam from oranges and apples, and KVK scientists presented a demonstration on vermicomposting technology.
Lakhimpur (Assam)-based Research Extension Centre’s scientist D Mech delivered a talk on seri-technology, and Dr T Patel spoke on safety, health and economic benefits of improved tools and equipment in agriculture.
Improvised ‘NERIST sickles’ were later distributed among the farmers.
The mela was supported by the agriculture department and the Papum Pare KVK.
