Kisan Mela exposes growers to new high-yielding varieties

A Kisan Mela was organised by Gurbachan Singh Foundation for Research Education and Development (GSFRED) at its centre near Kachwa village to share agricultural innovations and technologies developed by the foundation for the welfare of the farmers.

The visiting farmers were exposed to the integrated farming system model for doubling farmers income, furrow irrigated raised bed planting (FIRB) technique to save irrigation water and making eco-friendly use of paddy straw as mulch in furrows, natural and organic farming techniques, quality planting material of fruits and landscaping plants etc. Seeds of high yielding, climate smart, pest resistant, new varieties of wheat DBW-327, DBW-377, DBW-386, PBW-872, RS-1, HD-3385, HD-3386, HD-3390, HD-3406, HD-3410, were distributed to the visiting farmers.

Baba Kashmir Singh, from Gurdwara Nanaksar, Sector 6, Karnal, Baba Jassaji, from Nirmal Kutia, Zarifa, Karnal, Dr ML Madan, former DDG, Animal Sciences, ICAR, Dr SK Malhotra, VC, Maharana Pratap Horticulture University, Dr PC Sharma, former-Director ICAR-CSSRI, Dr RK Yadav, Director, CSSRI, Dr NH Mohan, Director, National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources(NBAGR), Karnal, Vijay Setis former president of All India Rice Exporters Association, Dr Gyanendera Singh, former Director ICAR-IIWBR, Dr Randhir Singh, former ADG, Agriculture Extension, ICAR participated as guests of honour.

Dr Gurbachan Singh, founder chairman of the foundation and former chairman of Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, and former Union Agriculture Commissioner, shared the activities and programmes of GSFRED initiated for the welfare of farmers and skill and entrepreneurship development in unemployed youth and students.

He talked about the integrated farming system model developed at GSFRED for doubling income of small and marginal farmers, to reduce cultivation cost, a source of regular income and to make agriculture climate resilient.

He further shared that about 50 per cent irrigation water could be saved through raised bed planting of wheat and placing rice residue in furrows as mulch, growing moong on same bunds without cultivation followed by planting short duration varieties of rice such as Punjab 1509, Punjab 1692, Punjab-1847 and PR 126 in the month of July. This also helps to rejuvenate nutrient depleted soil, helps in regeneration of microbial biodiversity and act as a guard to cover climate change risk in agriculture.