Indo-US Collaborative Feed the Future - India Triangular Training (FTF-ITT) Programme Inaugurated

An international training on “Management of Technology and Extension for Soil Testing based advisory Services to Farmers” (30th January – 13th February, 2018) under Feed the Future India Triangular Training (FTF ITT) of USAID and MEA, Govt. of India was inaugurated at ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal on January 31, 2018.

The programme includes Triangular Cooperation adapting technological advances and innovative solutions to address Food Security Challenges in Africa and Asia. The programme is being sponsored by USAID and MANAGE, Hyderabad is designated for operationalization of FTF ITT.

Prof. Vijay Singh Tomar, Former Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Chief Guest, stressed upon the importance of soil and water and highlighted the expertize India has gained in the management of soil health. He also emphasized on cooperative learning and said that the participating countries from Asia and Africa have great opportunity to get benefitted from the experience of ICAR-IISS in the management of soil health and development of soil health cards.

Dr. A. Amrendra Reddy, Director (M&E), MANAGE, highlighted the role of MANAGE, Hyderabad in operationalization of the training programme and how the programme addresses to eradicate the problem of hunger in the Third World countries.

Sh. B.M. Sahare, Addl. Director (Agri.), Govt. of Madhya Pradesh talked about the soil health card scheme and extension activities of the State Government. Earlier, in his welcome address

Dr. Ashok K. Patra, Director, ICAR-IISS appraised the gathering about the achievements of the Institute in the field of soil test based nutrient management.

The objectives of the training is to introduce the concept of soil testing, soil health, and soil test based balanced fertilizer management; to apprise the participants about the basic requirement of establishing a soil water tissue testing laboratory; to impart skills on new and innovative soil health management strategies for sustainable agriculture leading to conservation of natural resources in different cropping systems; to impart training on soil analysis methods, obtaining results and their interpretation; to introduce the concept of farmers’ participatory diagnosis of constraints and opportunities (PDCO) survey for soil fertility management in relation to crop production; to introduce the use of internet and mobiles in the dissemination of soil test based fertilizer recommendations, also the soil fertility maps and fertilizer nutrient recommendations based on these maps.

Twenty one Executives from seven countries (Afghanistan, Myanmar from Asia and Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Liberia, and Uganda from Africa) are participating in this training.

(Source: ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal)