KVK, Wyra – Cotton sowing with pneumatic planter at Wyra

The 21st century also has agriculture and its allied sectors is the leading sector of Indian economy providing employment and livelihood as well as contributing about 17.0% to the country’s gross value added. The slow growth in agricultural sector is causing concerns for the future food and nutritional security to huge population of this country. Now a days, many emerging challenges are faced by Indian farmers including inadequate land and water availability, degradation of natural resources, erratic climatic conditions, shift in demand and consumption patterns, population explosion and trade liberalization. More than 86.0% of Indian farm families are constituted by marginal and small categories of farmers who do not have access to any source of information about modern agricultural technologies that help in improving productivity. Pesticides and insecticides are the chemicals used to control weeds, insects, rodents, fungi and diseases of plants. Their excessive use causes environmental pollution. They leach to water resources and enter in the aquatic flora and fauna. Through food chains these harmful chemicals reach the body of birds, other animals even humans causing harm to them. The diverse nature of Indian subcontinent with its varied agro-climatic regions and wide range of socio-economic background of rural masses require specific agricultural extension approaches. In this context, the farmers were sensitized on need for use of appropriate pesticides and insecticides during coming kharif for various crops and also awareness on the available technologies to secure livelihood of farming communities rather than just increasing their agricultural production. KVK, Wyra organised the training program on 18.06.2024 in connection with release of 17th instalment of Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. The scientists created awareness to farmers and farm women on available technologies that help in reducing the cost of cultivation and enhance productivity, the need for growing green manure crops prior to kharif sowings to improve the soil organic carbon and restore soil fertility, need for incorporating millets in diets, diverge into producing pulses, develop kitchen gardens with green leafy and other vegetables for nutrition security there by empowering themselves. These programs help in motivating the farmers and farm women to adopt diversified modern practices and technologies for higher average employment days and improved income generation. The meeting was attended by Mrs. M. Vijaya Nirmala, DAO, Khammam, Mr. B. V. Ramana, DHSO, Khammam, Mr. T. Ranapratap, REAC member, PJTSAU, Dr. K. Ravi Kumar, Programme Coordinator (FAC), Scientists of Dr. Jessie Suneetha W and Mrs. P. S. M. Phanisri of KVK, Wyra along with farmers and farm women.