22th July, 2022
A Virtual State Level Interface Meeting on “Enhancing the Preparedness for Agriculture Contingencies during Kharif - 2022 for Maharashtra” was jointly organized by the ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad and the Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra.
Shri Eknath Dawalle, Principal Secretary (Agriculture), Government of Maharashtra chaired the Meeting.
Dr. K.V. Rao, ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad underlined the development and upgradation of the Agriculture Contingency Plans for all the rural Districts of Maharashtra with the help of the State Agricultural Universities and the Interface Meetings conducted during 2015-2021 with the help of Department of Agriculture for sensitization and implementation of the Contingency Plans.
During the Meeting, the forecast of SASCOF & IMD and Monthly Forecasts of IMD (July, August and September) released during April & subsequently and the Weekly Forecasts for the next 4 Weeks were shared with the Department Officials. The Progress of crop sowings at the State and District level, rainfall status till date and the prevailing dryspells, etc., were discussed during the Meeting.
The following were the major recommendations made during the Meeting:
- As above the normal rainfall is expected in the remaining Months of Kharif Season, suggested to monitor high intense & extreme rainfall events on a daily basis and for cumulative 2 to 3 days which can cause temporary waterlogging of the fields.
- Suggested to cultivate Soybean till 25th July. Also, strongly suggested to have experiments for extending the sowing windows with delayed sowings and to work out the decline in the yields for delay in each Week so that the farmers can be sensitized on expected yields for decision making.
- The Cropping system experiments are to be initiated with the short duration late sown Kharif Crops and normal planting of the Rabi Crops to address the scenario experienced during this Year.
- Based on soil information, the areas prone for temporary waterlogging are to be marked in each District and for sensitive crops for monitoring of crop growth and to initiate need-based interventions.
- As a preparatory mechanism to address continuous rainfall scenario leading to stagnation, land management options, viz., BBF, Paired Row Planting, Ridge and Furrow Planting to be promoted.
- The option of Fodder Maize to be explored in the areas where the demand for fodder exists.
- The Chief Scientists of AICRP on Dryland are to prepare an advisory on nutrients (micro and macro nutrients) for diseases of each District.
- The land management options with the graded surface drains with cascade of water harvesting systems are to be taken-up in a large way with the programmes of MGNREGA, IWMP as a preparedness measure to overcome the large-scale water stagnation for long periods.
- In the Paddy growing areas, staggered nurseries are to be promoted as the prepared mechanism so that sufficient planting material can be made available in case of damage to the nursery materials.
The Senior Officials State Agricultural Departments, ICAR Institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras were also present during the occasion.
(Source: ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad)
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