Workshop on Promotion of Scientific Maize Cultivation and FAW Management in Nagaland

27^th May, 2019, Nagaland

The ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hills Region, Nagaland Centre and ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), Ludhiana, Punjab jointly organized a one-day State Level Workshop on “Promotion of Scientific Maize Cultivation and FAW Management in Nagaland” today.

Dr. Narendra Prakash, Director, ICAR-RC-NEH Region, Umiam highlighted the maize cultivation’s scope in Jhum land. He also outlined the major constraints faced by the farmers, such as, non-availability of quality seed materials and lack of awareness among the farmers about the scientific management practices. Dr. Prakash urged to work in the convergence mode for proper monitoring and reporting of major destructive pest in the state for timely management of the pest.

Dr. Sujay Rakshit, Director, ICAR-IIMR, Ludhiana opined the stakeholders for jointly tackling the menace of fall armyworm at the state level. He emphasized on the popularization of maize hybrids to improve the productivity of maize and the strategies for increasing the availability of quality seed of maize for the farmers.

During the technical sessions, Dr. D.J. Rajkhowa, Joint Director, ICAR-RC-NEH Region, Nagaland Centre outlined the status and strategies for the promotion of scientific maize cultivation in Nagaland.

Dr. S.L. Jat, Coordinator, IIMR-NEH Maize Programme, underlined the crop management practices and emphasized the importance of pest forewarning.

The main aim of the workshop was to discuss about the best possible ways to tackle with the recent threat of invasive pest, the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in the maize cultivation and the need to promote the scientific cultivation of maize in Nagaland.

Panel discussion was also held on the management strategies of FAW and promotion of scientific maize cultivation.

The occasion also held a field visit to the ICAR research farm.

A total of 81 officials of State Department, ATMA, CIPMC and farmers registered their participation in the Workshop.

(Source: ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hills Region, Nagaland Centre and ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), Ludhiana, Punjab)