A CORRESPONDENT
NAGAON: As a part of Natural Resources Management & Sustainable Development of rural areas, NABARD has been supporting the implementation of various climate related interventions like Integrated Watershed & Tribal Development Programmes, UPNRM & natural farming based JIVA projects, across the Country.
Accordingly, in order to spread the awareness about the health of soil and its impact on production/ productivity of various agriculture commodities, NABARD had organized an event to observe the World Soil Day along with the members of its JIVA project at Borbeel cluster in Kathiatoli Block of the Nagaon district on Friday.
The event was organized with the theme 'Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities' and was attended by DDM, NABARD Rajendar Perna, Kalong Kapili coordinators Oinam Naresh, Bikram Mudoi and the selected champion farmers of the JIVA project.
Speaking on the occasion, DDM, NABARD, Rajendar Perna informed the participants that being an Apex Development Organization, NABARD has been formulating & supporting various Projects for sustainable development of rural areas and the agriculture & allied sectors, since its inception. During the event, he cited the importance of the top soil & its health in enhancing the production & productivity of various agri. commodities. He then highlighted that Soil is the foundation of life on Earth, as it supports the growth of the crops that feed us, the plants that provide us with oxygen, and the biodiversity that sustains our ecosystems and stressed on the need for conservation of soil health. He spoke about the relevance of soil test report values for components like pH, Organic Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus & Potassium and stressed on the need to reduce the use of harmful chemicals by proportionately replacing them with natural cow dung, vermicompost, daincha, jivamrut, bheejamrut etc.
Oinam Naresh of Kalong Kapili spoke about the implementation of NABARD supported natural farming based JIVA project involving training on agroecology, cultivation using models like pre-monsoon dry sowing (PMDS), Suryamandal, ATM (Any Time Money), A3 (Aharam, Arogyam, Adayam) & 3-Line Sowing of paddy etc., production of bio-inputs, low-cost bamboo poultry shed, integrated fish seed rearing etc.
The event concluded with the planting of saplings of Guava, Litchi, Mango & Apple Ber in the fields of selected participants.
Also Read: NABARD highlights ‘Cooperatives for Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in Nagaon programmes