RARS jagtial Organised Training programme on Crop Diversification and Promotion of Sesame Cultivation in Telangana State to A.E.Os on 23-09-2021

A training programme on ‘Crop diversification and Promotion of Sesame cultivation in Telangana State to AEO’s’ under National mission on Oilseeds and Oil palm (NMOOP) on 23.09.202 was organised at RARS, Jagtial. Dr. D. Padmaja, Scientist (Pl. Breeding) has organized this programme. During inauguration, Dr. M. Uma Devi, Associate Director of Research, RARS, Polasa, Jagtial addressed the officials of Department of Agriculture, Jagtial district, Telangana, that there is a need to create mass campaign on cultivation of alternate crops to paddy in rabi as the State Govt is unable to purchase paddy. In this connection, she spoke about the ID crops that can be cultivated by the farmers and interacted with AEO’s and A.O.s regarding there suitability in different clusters and also discussed about the constraints that are being faced by the farmers with ID crops. Sri. Suresh, District Agricultural Officer, said that all the A. E.Os should make the cultivation of ID crops by the farmers as an agenda and put efforts to motivate the farmers in terms of economics and profitability with ID crops. Sri. Prathap Singh, DHSO, Jagtial enlightened the officials on cultivation of oil palm and details like market price and demand, subsidy and suitable intercrops in oil palm orchards which are going to be started in near future etc. Dr. Sukumar, Vice Principal, Agricultural Polytechnic, Jagtial explained about the key cultivation aspects with regard to soybean. On this occasion, information material (pamphlet) on ‘Sesamum cultivation and management practices’ was released by ADR and other officials of Department of Agricultur, Jagtial district, Telangana.Dr. D. Padmaja explained the A.E.Os on cultivation practices of sesamum and value addition through cold pressed oil extraction unit. Power point presentations were made by the scientists regarding the important ID crops by Dr. P. Revathi, Dr. B. Srinivas, Sri. P. Gonya Nayak, Dr. B. Laxmi Prasanna, Sri. S. Om Prakash, N. Navatha, Dr. P. Madhukar, Dr. A. Krishna Chaithanya, Dr. P. Ravi, P. Sadvi, Dr. N. Mahesh and Dr. K. Swathi respectively on Chick pea , safflower, Groundnut, Black gram and green gram promotion in rice fallows, pest and disease management in sesame, sunflower, mustard, water productivity in agricultural crops, vanakalam crop residue management for rabi, ICT tools in agriculture, millets management practices respectively and horticultural crops suitable for rabi cultivation. Suggestions were given by scientists to the queries of the participants with regard to cut off dates of individual crops, suitable varieties, seed availability in different research stations with concerned scientists contact numbers etc., A notes material was also provided to the participants. Different constraints that were expressed and shared by the participants are regarding market assurance, timely availability of seed, pest management specially YMV in pulses, wild boar, birds and monkeys, higher pest incidence in crops grown in mustard fallows, non-availability of gypsum, non-functional AMC units, relectance of farmers to grow diversified crops due to more availability of water, diversion of AEO’s to do Raitu Bandhu and several other programmes etc and limited time availability for real field level extension activities,, etc. They also suggested that, during seeds selling season, a call centre is needed to make arrangement for seed, a correct contact number to guide the purchaser / farmer / Dept. staff at any time, need to keep the AMC’s located at different places to be functional either by Govt or by private traders, so that the farmer will have market assurance, sensitization of farmers owning more than 10 acres, so that they can come forward for part of their land for crop diversification, providing subsidies for items which will help to control wild boar / monkeys (monkey gun etc), Govt. support to give viable sale prices, giving incentives to the farmers who goes for crop diversification etc. At the end Dr. M. Uma Devi, Associate Director of Research, RARS, Polasa, Jagtial urged the officials of Department of Agriculture, Jagtial district to motivate the farmers to subscribe “PJTSAU Youtube channel’ and to become members/life members of Vyavasayam Magazine in order to educate the farmers and help the organization.In this programme scientists (15 Nos), DAO (1), DHSO (1), ADAs (1), A.O.s (15), H.O(1) and AE.Os (68) , a total of (102 Nos) have participated.