GUWAHATI: As part of the ongoing efforts to popularise organic farming among villagers living close to Kaziranga National Park (KNP), a training on vermicomposting and organic farming was organised today for a batch of 20 farmers from six villages located in the area.
The training was organised by Kaziranga National Park (KNP) authority, Aaranyak and International Rhino Foundation.
The programmes was inaugurated by the Director of Kaziranga National Park (KNP), P Shivkumar in presence of the DFO Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Ramesh Gogoi among others at the Convention Centre of Kohora Range in the KNP.
Ten farmers were provided training on vermicomposting by resource person Mohan Bora who is known for preservation of gene bank of 300 varieties of indigenous rice from the state, at Aaranyak’s community nursery at Chandra Sing Rongpi Memorial High School near Kohora range of the National Park.
Ten other farmers were trained on lemon plantation and organic vegetable cultivation.
The farmers who underwent training in the programme hail from villages of Rangalu, Natun Danga, Difloo Pathar, Japori Pathar, Panbari and Geleky.
The inauguration programme was also attended by Assistant Conservator of Forest, Rituparna Bora, Ranger Burapahar, Prodip Goswami, Ranger Bokakhat, Sasanka Deb, Manager Rhino Research and Conservation Division (RRCD) of Aaranyak, Arif Hussain, senior journalist and environment worker, Swapan Nath and Aaranyak members Niren Singh, Chayanika Phukon, Samim Sultana and Numal Das.
Promotion of organic farming near the KNP is being done in order to prevent pollution of environment, soil etc. in the park because of use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in nearby cultivation areas.
Aaranyak official Arif Hussain informed that similar training programmes will be conducted for farmers from nearby villages of Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.