NYORAK, 26 Mar: A training and farmers-scientists interaction programme under the Tribal Sub Plan programme was conducted here in Leparada district on Thursday by the ICAR Basar.
Themed ‘Promotion of nutrition garden in tribal communities for nutritional security and livelihood improvement’, the programme was attended by 20 practicing farmers and farmwomen.
GPB senior scientist Dr Patu K Zeliang explained the key aspects of nutrition garden establishment, including site selection, preparation of crop calendar, soil preparation, and scientific crop management practices.
Dr Zeliang also highlighted the importance of crop diversification, year-round vegetable cultivation, and integration of fruits and leafy vegetables to address nutritional deficiencies in tribal areas. She advised the farmers to utilise family labour and household organic waste for preparing organic nutrients, making nutrition gardening cost-effective and easy to manage.
She also encouraged the farmers to sell surplus produce in nearby markets such as Aalo and Basar to generate additional income.
Agronomy senior scientist Dr Sanjay Kumar Pandeyspoke about preparation of jeevamrit and explained its application in vegetable crops, fruit trees, and cereal crops to enhance soil microbial activity and improve soil health. He advised the farmers to practice crop rotation to maintain soil fertility and reduce pest and disease incidence.
To support the farmers in adopting nutrition gardening practices, inputs and tools, including shade nets, watering cans, kharif vegetable seeds, irrigation pipes, and weighing balances were distributed to the participants after the programme.
The programme concluded with an interactive session, during which the farmers and farmwomen shared their experiences and expressed their commitment to adopting nutrition gardening for improving both nutritional security and household livelihood.