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AAU to help farmers through SMS

By Correspondent

NALBARI, Oct 24 � The Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat has decided to collect mobile phone numbers of 10 lakh farmers of the State to provide them agricultural support through the SMS. The new scheme will begin from the next session.

This was disclosed by the vice-chancellor of the Assam Agricultural University Dr Kamal Malla Bujarbaruah while addressing a public meeting at Sariahtali in Nalbari district yesterday. Dr Bujarbaruah came to inaugurate the newly-constructed building of the Nalbari Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) under the Assam Agricultural University at Sariahtali village.

Dr Bujarbaruah called upon the people to increase land use for agricultural purposes to meet the growing demands of foodstuffs. He also requested the young generation to take up agriculture as a business. �When our youths grow up, there is a tendency to search for jobs in various companies. One of India�s largest companies, Reliance India has come forward to do agricultural business at various places,� Dr Bujarbaruah added.

The vice chancellor further stated that the Assam Agricultural University has also decided to start the technology showcasing programme in the Veterinary and fisheries sectors from next year. He added that to meet the increasing demand of milk in Guwahati city, the AAU would launch a massive and ambitious milk production scheme covering Sualkuchi and Nalbari areas. As the Nalbari district has great potential in fish production, the AAU will provide full support for its extention, he added. He assured of setting up a hatchery at the campus of the Nalbari KVK.

Referring to the decreasing fertility of soil at various places in the State, Dr Bujarbaruah said that the AAU, Jorhat has divided the entire State into six zones to carry out soil tests. The AAU will collect one lakh samples for soil test and the entire process will be over within three years. After soil tests, the AAU will provide all possible support to rejuvenate the soil. Even this process has already started in some places where the farmers have succeeded to get surplus production, the VC added.

Addressing the meeting Dr Ajoy Kumar Gogoi, zonal project director of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Zone-III, said that the North Eastern States has 71 Krishi Vigyan Kendras and the number would be increased to 85 within the next year. Similarly, the State will have three more KVK shortly. Gogoi favoured the collection of seeds in local fields.

In his speech, Dr Apurba Chakravarty, Director, Research of the Veterinary department, AAU informed that the seeds of Banaraja are available at the AAU. The meeting was addressed among others by Dr BC Bhowmick, DEE of AAU, Dr Mridul Deka, P Gupta, Dr M Neog and Joycharan Haloi.

Earlier, a farmers interaction programme was held in the morning session which was conducted by Dr Hemendra Chandra Bhattacharya, chief scientist of RARS, Gossaigaon. The discussion was attended by Dr GKS Baruah, principal scientist of HRS, Kahukuchi, Dr Ramani Thakuriya, JK Sarma and M Bora.

The new building of the Nalbari KVK was constructed at a cost of Rs 49.17 lakh.

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