TAWANG, 9 Aug: Almora (Uttarakhand)-based Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan (VPKAS) and the Tawang KVK organised a ‘finger millet field days and farmer-scientist interaction’programmes here on 8 August to create awareness about improved finger millet cultivation at Phomang and Kheleteng villages in Lungla subdivision.
Interacting with the farmers, VPKAS principal scientist Dr RK Khulbe informed them about the activities being undertaken by the institute in Tawang in collaboration with the KVK.
He expressed appreciation for the farmers for sharing the seeds of VL Mandua 376, produced last year,with farmers of the adjoining villages, as a result of which, VL Mandua 376 is being cultivated in over a dozen villages this year.
Millet breeder Dr Mahendra Bhinda highlighted the role of early maturing and high-yielding finger millet varieties in boosting finger millet production in the district, with special reference to VL Mandua 376.
Millet agronomist Dr RP Meena shared information about the improved finger millet production techniques with the farmers, while farm machinery expert Dr Manoj Kumar explained how VL millet thresher saves time and cost, and reduces the drudgery involved in post-harvest processing of finger millet.
KVK agronomy scientist Dr CK Singh, who has played an important role in dissemination of the variety in the district, informed that “there is growing demand for VL Mandua 376 seed and VL millet threshers from the farmers,” and highlighted the need for “ensuring their adequate and timely availability for upscaling finger millet cultivation in the district.”
The village heads acknowledged the efforts of the VPKAS and the KVK towards making finger millet cultivation more profitable for the farmers. The farmers said that the grain yield of VL Mandua 376 is 1.5 to 2 times, compared to the local cultivar.
Besides giving higher yield, VL Mandua 376 matures almost a month earlier than the local cultivar.
The team of scientists inspected the seed production fields of VL Mandua 376, and explained to the farmers the precautions required for producing quality seed.
The farmers were urged to extensively share the VL Mandua 376 seeds with the farmers of other villages of the district to enable them to harvest the benefit of its high yield and early maturity.
The programmes were attended by 65 farmers.
