BAIHATA CHARIALI, Aug 8 - A technology demonstration programme was organised under the rice programme of APART project at village Pasoniapara of Rani block with the help of KVK Kamrup and IRRI on August 6, in which Binadhan 11 variety and mechanical transplanters were demonstrated. Binadhan 11 is a medium duration flood tolerant variety notified in 2015. Mechanical transplanting is used for line transplanting and provides cost saving of up to 5000-7000 per ha, having yield gain of 5-6 quintals per ha, and labour saving by 16-20 work days per ha, besides savings in water used and cost involved in puddling operation.
During this programme, a hands-on training on MAT type nursery, seed-drill operation and reaper were also organised. The programme attended by Vinod Seshan, Secretary to the Government of Assam, Agricultural Department & State Project Director (SPD), ARIAS Society, Sudhanshu Singh, Senior Scientist IRRI for South Asia and Kanwar Singh, Resident IRRI consultant for Assam, Kalyan Pathak from AAU and Dhirendra Nath Kalita, PC KVK, Kamrup. Around 150 farmers from surrounding villages including progressive farmers attended the programme and learnt the benefits of these technologies.
The chief guest of the programme, Vinod Seshan, Agricultural Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and SPD, ARIAS society highlighted the introduction of new stress-tolerant varieties for flood, drought with the collaboration of IRRI for enhancing productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers of Assam. He stressed on the increased usage of mechanisation to cope up with the labour problem and to address other related issues of the farming community. He emphasised on bringing new innovative technologies like mechanical transplanter, various IT enabled apps and solution for precision agriculture to attract youth farming business.
Dr Sudhanshu Singh, coordinator South Asia-and project leader APART project � IRRI expressed his gratitude to the Assam Government and ARIAS society for providing IRRI an opportunity to work for Assamese farmers under APART project. He highlighted the advantage of climate resilient stress-tolerant varieties, mechanisation and post-harvest technologies like solar bubble dryer and to create new avenues of service providers for these technologies.
It can be mentioned that the agreement between Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for technical advisory support was signed on March 16, 2018 for strengthening seed supply system of stress-tolerant rice varieties and increasing the productivity and profitability of the small and marginal farmers in 16 districts of Assam. The activities in the field are being carried out through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)/ Regional Agricultural Research Stations (RARSs) of Assam Agricultural University and district Agricultural Technology Management Agencies (ATMAs).
