Expert exhorts farmers to look beyond rice cultivation

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 22

A one-day workshop on the impact of changing environment and climate change on agriculture and resource conservation was held today. The seminar was held in collaboration with GIZ and shed light on the Indo- German cooperation, GIZ project, “Climate change adaptation in rural areas of India”. The PAU bagged a project titled, “Farmers network on climate resilient agriculture in Punjab”.

Dr Jaskarn Singh Mahal, Director Extension, PAU, was the chief guest on the occasion while Dr Navtej Bains, Director Research, was the guest of honour.

Technical experts, including Soumya Bhatt; Joint Director Agriculture Dr Rajesh Vashisht, Programme Director Dr Raman Mehta and Additional Director of Research Dr Pushpinder Singh Pannu, were also present.

Dr Mahal exhorted farmers to adopt new and recommended agricultural technologies, simultaneously calling upon them to look beyond rice cultivation. He shed light on the new technique of direct seeding of rice which is an environment friendly technology. “It is due to the PAU’s efforts in sensitising the farmers that a large area of wheat during the ongoing Rabi season was cultivated through direct seeding,” said Dr Mahal

Dr Bains stressed on the need for in depth planning for water conservation and called upon the experts to develop technology targeting resource conservation. He revealed the ongoing research activities targeted at changing the rice- wheat cropping pattern. Dr Bains shared the PAU’s early maturing, less water guzzling paddy varieties PR121 and PR 126 that mature in three and five weeks, respectively.

Dr Bhatt discussed the impact of climate change on agriculture and gave technical tips for managing the same. Dr Pannu emphasised on the need for collective efforts to combat climate change and suggested the adopting of integrated management techniques.

A folder on direct seeding of rice and a book discussing tips on climate related agricultural practices was released at the occasion.

The seminar was attended by university experts as well as more than 100 farmers from across the state. Lectures were held on changing climate scenario.