PJTAU to promote crop diversification from Rabi as part of new project

HYDERABAD

With a view to encourage and promote crop diversification in the State, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU) has decided to launch another novel initiative — innovation to impact — being implemented in the research arms of the institution from this Rabi season itself, Vice Chancellor of the university Aldas Janaiah said.

The Vice Chancellor stated that the initiative is aimed at bridging the gap in the use of technology in cultivation, addressing the production and productivity aspects and improving the farmers’ income with diversification of crops. The project has been formulated keeping in view the impact of the El Nino phenomenon on the State and availability of new technologies in the cultivation of pulses and oilseeds towards achieving better productivity.

A total of 12 centres have been identified for the implementation of crop diversification project and they include Palem, Tandur, Madhira, Warangal, Kampasagar, Rudrur, Adilibad, Jagityala, Thornala, Karimnagar, Basanthpur and Kunaram. Every centre would have a four-member scientists’ team for implementation of the project, Mr. Janaiah said. The university would soon submit a proposal seeking ₹25 crore funding for the project from the State government.

The scientists’ teams would further identify four villages in the purview of each centre and about 20 to 25 progressive farmers would be identified in every such village and extend the new technology package. Suitable new varieties crop-wise and improved plant/crop protection measures towards higher productivity would be implemented in the farm fields of selected farmers with direct field-level supervision to transfer the technology.

Mr. Janaiah stated that the project would be implemented for two years so that farmers can experience the impact of new technologies in order to adopt them. The project would also help encourage other farmers in the selected and surrounding villages to adopt the new technology. The project is also aimed at improving the soil and water quality, improving production/availability of pulses and oilseeds and thereby reducing their imports.

The project is being taken up as part of the Centre’s ‘Khet Bachao’ programme from October 18 to 31 and Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao would launch the project at one of the 12 centres. The Vice Chancellor further stated that the university would also take the help of institutions such as ICAR and ICRISAT besides the agriculture and horticulture departments.