From Our Correspondent
JOWAI, May 31: Braving the inclement weather, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Jaintia Hills, reached out to 657 farmers from nine villages under Thadlaskein and Amlarem C&RD Blocks on Day 2 of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan on Friday.
Despite persistent rainfall and challenging travel conditions, the outreach team covered Namdong, Moobakhon, Ksehrynchang, Sohphoh, Larnai, Tyrchang, Pdengshakhap, Jaralood and Mawlong, ensuring enthusiastic participation from farmers and community members.
Led by a multidisciplinary team comprising scientists and officers from ICAR Umiam, the Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries departments, ATMA and district officials, the programme offered hands-on technical sessions and advisory support.
During the programme, farmers were trained on a wide range of topics including biochar preparation, cropping systems, and improved paddy, maize and millet varieties; Fall Army Worm management and organic pest control; nutri garden layout, buckwheat cultivation and orchard management using grafting; livestock health, including vaccination, artificial insemination, piggery nutrition and silage preparation; use of the Meghdoot app for weather-based planning; and integrated farming systems, kitchen gardens and nutri thali planning.
Special emphasis was also placed on local issues such as the health and death of pigs, with on-spot veterinary advisories provided. Information on schemes such as CM-Assured for broom and areca nut, SNAM for farm machinery, piggery start-up loans and availability of quality seeds was also shared with the farming community.
During the programme, farmers received millet and buckwheat seeds, as well as informative leaflets on turmeric cultivation, fish rearing and the use of custom hiring centres. They were further apprised of numerous government schemes such as PM-Kisan, PMFBY, MIDH, Lakadong Mission, NFSM, among others.
It may be mentioned that the outreach was deeply appreciated by the local headmen and communities, who expressed gratitude for the continued support and knowledge dissemination, despite the unfavourable weather.
