PASIGHAT, 24 Jan: A five-day training programme on scientific cultivation of buckwheat commenced at the College of Horticulture & Forestry (CHF) here in East Siang district on Friday.
The programme is being organised by the CHF under the NEH/TSP component of the All India Coordinated Research Network on Potential Crops (AICRN on Potential Crops).
A total of 47 farmers and farmwomen, members of SHGs of the district, and students of final year BSc agriculture are participating in the programme.
Addressing the inaugural programme, CHF DeanProf BN Hazarika and its Social Science Professor BR Phukan enlightened the participants about the importance buckwheat for enhancing farmers’ income and ensuring sustainability of the farming system. They also highlighted the use of natural and organic farm produces.
Earlier, Dr G Chand, Prof AS Barman, Dinesh Kumar, and AICRN on Potential Crops PI Prof Dr P Debnath spoke on the benefits of potential crops and highlighted the importance of buckwheat.
Dr Rajib Das spoke on quality seed production, with special emphasis on honeybee rearing.
New Delhi-based AICRN on Potential Crops nodal officer Dr SK Yadav interacted with the farmers and the students online, and encouraged the farmers to grow buckwheat.
A good number of agricultural inputs like knapsack sprayers, biofertiliser and spades were distributed among the farmers and the farmwomen.
