State farmers tobe trained in CRA techniques: Min

Patna: The state agriculture department is all set to implement the climate-resilient agriculture (CRA) techniques for boosting up agricultural output and saving farmers from the vagaries of crop failures due to climate change. The CRA method is a sustainable approach for converting and reorienting agricultural systems to support food security under the new realities of climate change through different adaptation and mitigation mechanisms.
“Five villages in each district of the state have been selected initially to familiarise farmers with the CRA techniques. Practical demonstrations of timely seed sowing, proper use of fertilizers and pesticides, and harvesting of crops are being given to the farmers of these villages. The officers concerned of all the districts have been asked to ensure sincere and effective implementation of these techniques,” state agriculture minister Kumar Sarvjeet told this newspaper here on Monday.
The minister pointed out that the timely sowing of seeds as per CRA techniques makes a lot of difference in the yield of crops. “If wheat seeds are sown the first fortnight of November, a yield of 47 quintals per hectare is expected. But, if the seeds are sown between December 11 and 18, the produce reduces to 34 quintals per hectare,” the minister said.
He said the farmers would also be made aware of the various alternatives to the crops they were well conversant with keeping in mind the vagaries of climatic changes. “Instead of sowing paddy and wheat seeds they would be trained in sowing seeds of pulses, oilseeds, maize, and millets. Only those crops should be gown in water-deficient south Bihar regions which require a minimum of water,” said Sarvjeet.
He said that the officials of the department had been directed to ensure timely supply of Rabi crops like wheat, gram, masur, peas, mustard, barley and maize. Necessary arrangements had already been made with the Bihar State Seeds Corporation to ensure timely and proper supply of seeds and fertilizers to the farmers, he said.