ICAR conducts training on silage, kharif maize

Ludhiana, July 4

In a step towards enhancing the livelihoods of farmers through the promotion of silage and kharif maize, a one-day training-cum-input distribution programme was successfully conducted by ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (ICAR-IIMR), Ludhiana. It saw the participation of 40 progressive farmers from the Satluj Women Farmers Producer Company.

The training programme aimed to empower these women farmers with advanced maize cultivation techniques, particularly focusing on silage kharif maize. Dr Alla Singh from ICAR-IIMR, Ludhiana, emphasised the importance of maize-led crop diversification in Punjab and highlighted the opportunities created by the government’s ethanol blending targets, which can significantly boost maize cultivation in the state.

This joint venture between ICAR-IIMR, Grant Thornton Bharat and the HDFC Parivartan Project marks a stride towards improving the lives of farmers through the implementation of advanced maize technologies. The partners remain committed to future initiatives that contribute to the sustainable development of rural communities, he added.

Manpreet Singh from Grant Thornton Bharat, Ludhiana, shared insights on adopting best practices to optimize crop yield with minimal expenditure, ensuring profitable crop outputs. Each beneficiary received kharif maize seed sufficient for 1 acre, provided free of cost as part of the programme.