Castor and Sesame Training-cum-field day

A field day-cum-training was organized by ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad in Patherched village, Narwa Mandal, Mahabubnagar district on 2nd Feb. 2018. The district is one of the potential districtsfor cultivation of oilseeds (castor, groundnut and sesame).  The programme started with the field visit of staff of agricultural department, farmers, scientistists and the press. Followed by a training session on “Improved technologies for increasing the income of oilseed farmers”.

Dr. A. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad, in his inaugural address emphasized the need to use quality seed, soil test based fertilizer application, following all the recommended technologies for increasing the yield and income of farmers. He indicated that the rabi castor has tremendous potential in the four districts with yield potential of upto 3000 kg/ha and can significantly increase farmers income. He assured to conduct more demonstrations on castor and sesame in all the potential mandals for promotion of improved technologies. He further stressed the need for the farmers to develop into seed entrepreneurs and assured all the support from ICAR-IIOR in terms of training and providing the parental material. He also indicated that in order to have timely access to quality seed of castor and sesame for the farmers of four districts, ICAR-IIOR will make necessary arrangements, if the advance indents are placed for the seed.

Dr. Y.G. Prasad, Director, ATARI (Zone-V), Hyderabad, while addressing the farmers, explained the role played by the KVKs for the betterment of farming community. He emphasized the need for the integrated farming systems approach by including the livestock, backyard poultry, sheep rearing along with oilseeds cultivation which will aid in doubling the farmers income. He stressed the need for value addition at farm level for increasing the income of the farmers.

During the programme, farmers interacted with the scientists and clarified their queries. Apart from scientists of ICAR-IIOR, Professor Jayashanker Telangana State Agriculture University, KVK, Social Audit, governing body member, MHRD, Sarpanch of Patherched village, Grameen Mahila Samakya members, around 500 farmers including 60 woman farmers, 20 agricultural staff from four districts viz., Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Jogulamba Gadwal and Wanaparthy of Telangana State participated in the field day-cum-training. Supporting literature on castor and sesame in vernacular language was provided to the farmers.