GOLAGHAT: A virtual meet was organised on Sunday to discuss 'International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)'s role and impact in Assam and Farm Mechanization for Better Agriculture'. Dr. Kanwar Singh, Senior Associate Scientist II-cum-Precision Agronomist & Resident Project Coordinator of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Assam and Ankita Sahu, Junior Researcher - Agriculture Extension, IRRI, Assam participated as a key speaker and associate speaker, respectively, in the virtual meet.
In the welcome and introduction session of the virtual meet, the Deputy Project Director of Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) - Golaghat Tapan Kr. Mahanta welcomed the virtual invitees and briefed them about the significance of the meet.
The Resident Project Coordinator, IRRI, Assam, Dr. Kanwar Singh said, "IRRI has developed over 400 improved rice varieties and better farm practices and technologies for enhanced rice productivity in India. The first phase of the agreement was signed in March 2018 between Government of Assam, Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services (ARIAS) Society and IRRI, and was designed to increase productivity of farmers. The major impactful activities were strengthening seed systems, Promotion of Stress-Tolerant Rice Varieties (STRVs), Scale appropriate farm mechanization, strengthening post-harvest management by introducing improved practices, facilitating market linkages, encouraging adoption on field, improving the rice value-chain, increase efficiency and profitability and development of digital platforms such as the Rice Knowledge Bank (RKB), Rice Doctor Assam, WebGIS Portal, identifying stress prone areas, and rice-fallow areas for cropping system intensification through GIS technologies."
Dr. Kanwar Singh further said that the extension agreement was signed recently. The second phase of the IRRI, Assam and Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (APART) Project collaboration will focus on the development of the Rice Value Chain of Assam by developing and strengthening technology flow through ICT- and GIS-enabled agro-advisory systems, knowledge dissemination, and catalyzing adoption. IRRI aims to upgrade the rice value chain by supporting Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) through business models and disseminating and scaling out Sustainable, Resource-efficient, and Climate-smart technologies suited to rice-based systems of Assam, stated a press release.
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