NALBARI, Jan 23 � Dwipen Talukdar, a farmer from Tantrasankara village, is very pleased to see the bumper production of mustard on an area of 30 bighas. He had undertaken the mustard cultivation along with his three other farmers. The chairperson of the Nalbari Zilla Parishad, Bitumani Devi and a team of scientists visited their field recently.
Similarly, Madhu Deka of Nadala village is also expecting a high yield from a 70-bigha field of mustard. Deka and nine other farmers of the village cultivated the mustard. The Nalbari district this year witnessed an encouraging cultivation of mustard under the Technology Showcase Programme of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). A bumper production is being expected.
The Technology Showcase Programme, which has been initiated by the Assam Agricultural University since 2010, has produced optimum results in Nalbari district. Though it is basically a seed production programme under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY) of the Government of Assam, which has been implemented by the Assam Agricultural University, it has successful in increasing the yields of rice and mustard.
Initially, the project was started in 11 districts of the State, covering an area of 100 hectares in each district. The crops included under the scheme were mainly rice, mustard and lentils. Subsequently, in view of the success of the project, it was continued in 2011-�12, 2012-�13 and 2013-�14, covering 12 districts.
Dr Mridul Deka told this correspondent that the programme is being implemented on a private-public-partnership mode with the participation of the Assam Agricultural University, State Agricultural Department and farmers of the respective districts. The main objective of the project is to establish direct linkage between the University and the farmers of the State through the Krishi Vigyan Kendras for the transfer of modern agricultural technologies. There is block demonstration of technologies to draw the attention of farmers as well as other sections of the people, quality seed production of important crops to meet the seed requirements in the districts in order to minimise the gap between actual production and potential yield, and development of the skills of the participating farmers with regard to modern agricultural practices and seed production guidelines.
This is the fourth phase of the Technology Showcase Programme in mustard in Nalbari district. According to the chief scientist of the Nalbari Krishi Vigyan Kendra, during this rabi season, mustard (variety TS 36) has been grown on 75 hectares of land in the district, covering around 135 farmers. The areas covered under this scheme are Tantrasankara, Chandkuchi, Arikuchi, Balamugkuchi, Billeswar, Panigaon, Nizpakuwa, Ronakuchi-Digheli, Bamunbari, Nathkuchi, Adabari, Barbhag, Chamata, Kaithakuchi and Nadla. The yield expected is 11.5-12 quintals per hectare, producing a total of around 900 quintals. This amount of seed production will cover around 9,000 hectares next year, he continued.
The programme specialist of the Nalbari KVK, Ranjita Bezbaruah said that the cultivated area in Nalbari district is gradually increasing due to the high yield potential of the TS-36 variety of mustard demonstrated under the programme. Nowadays farmers choose high-yielding varieties of crops.
The technology showcase programme as a whole has brought a positive impact on the knowledge and income of the participating farmers in the district, she added. Under this programme, farmers are supported with planting materials like seeds, fertilizers and all necessary technical guidance and training during the initiation to the end of the programme, Bezbaruah stated.
