ICAR Advances Inclusive Agricultural Development with SCSP Initiative for Scheduled Caste Farmers

29 June 2026, Shimla

ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, successfully organized an Agricultural Input Distribution and Farmers' Awareness Programme under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) at Gram Panchayat Ghat Kumhala, Kandaghat Block, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. As part of the programme, nearly 100 Scheduled Caste farmers were provided with sprayer machines and bio-fertilizers to promote scientific, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable farming practices. The initiative aimed to enhance farmers' productivity and income by facilitating access to modern agricultural technologies, quality farm inputs, and technical guidance for sustainable cultivation.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Brijesh Singh, Director, ICAR-CPRI, encouraged farmers to adopt scientific technologies in potato cultivation and explore commercial potato farming as a means of improving their livelihoods. He emphasized that the institute is continuously working to provide technical support and scientific advisory services to farmers in the region. Dr Singh also distributed the agricultural inputs, stating that the use of sprayer machines and bio-fertilizers would help farmers adopt eco-friendly and economically viable farming practices.

The programme highlighted the importance of balanced fertilizer application and its long-term benefits for sustainable crop production. Farmers were encouraged to adopt science-based agricultural practices to enhance productivity, improve farm income, and ensure efficient resource use. The sessions also emphasized the significance of natural and sustainable farming, soil health conservation, and balanced nutrient management as key pillars for achieving long-term agricultural sustainability.

The programme received active support from the village leadership, which played an important role in coordinating and facilitating its successful organization at the grassroots level. The initiative was widely appreciated for effectively integrating the distribution of agricultural inputs with scientific training and technical guidance, thereby contributing to enhanced farm productivity, increased farmers' income, and sustainable agricultural development.

The programme witnessed the active participation of around 100 farmers, who interacted with the scientists and discussed various agricultural challenges and their practical solutions.

The programme reaffirmed ICAR commitment to empowering Scheduled Caste farmers through technology dissemination, capacity building, and access to improved agricultural inputs under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan, thereby promoting inclusive and sustainable agricultural development.

(Source: ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla)