SHILLONG: To commemorate the visionary programme of Prime Minister of India ‘Mera Gaon Mera Gaura’ (My village, My pride), a day-long training-cum-awareness programme on Rainwater Harvesting was held at Klew village, Ri Bhoi district.
A total of 45 representative farmers from Mawbsein, Mawblang, Mawkyrdep and Nongpyrdet participated in the event. The programme on rainwater harvesting elaborated the importance of water harvesting and its judicious use for irrigating winter crops for sustainable practice of agriculture and livelihood improvement.
Field demonstration on rainwater harvesting structure (Jalkund) was also given to farmers. Silpaulin sheets and hose pipe were provided to the farmers for constructing the rain water harvesting structures in all the villages.
The 6 x 7 meters Jalkund can store 30,000 liters of water which will be very useful to irrigate the winter crops.
Vermi Beds were also provided to the farmers for preparing Vermicompost, which is an organic manure produced by earthworms feeding on biological waste material and plant residues and which could serve as good source of organic fertilizers to the crops.
A scientists and farmer’s interaction was a major part of the programme where the queries of the farmers were answered by the scientists from both the organizations.
The training assured that the farmers get the best out of it and the institute will provide with every possible help to popularize the agriculture and allied activities in NEH region.
The programme started with the welcome address by the village headman followed by speeches of Dr G. T. Behere, Senior Scientist (Entomology) and Dr Aniruddha Roy, Scientist (Agril. Economics) of ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, who highlighted the importance of rainwater harvesting and water storage, structures (Jalkunds). Dr B. C. Nath, Associate Professor (Agri) and Dr U. M. Hazarika, Assistant Professor of NERIWALM, Tezpur, highlighted the need of water harvesting in the region and also provided the information on the time schedule of irrigation for winter crops with stored harvested rain water. M. Lyngdoh, Senior Research Fellow translated the information into Khasi.
The programme funded by Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) of ICAR, was organized by scientists of ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill (NEH) region, Umiam, with North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management (NERI-WALM), Ministry of Water Resources, GOI, Tezpur.
