DRI-ERS helps Dhubri farmers uplift their socio-economic condition

Dhubri: A one-day programme was organized by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research –National Dairy Research Institute, Eastern Regional Station (ICAR-NDRI, ERS), Kalyani, West Bengal recently on 'Livelihood Improvement of NEH (North Eastern Hills Region) farmers through livestock interventions' at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Dhubri, Assam Agricultural University campus (Assam) under NDRI-NEH Project Component.

The programme was conducted in collaboration with KVK, Dhubri, AAU, Haldibari to uplift the socio-economic condition of farmers of Dhubri district. Scientists of ERS-NDRI, namely Joint Director and Head, Dr. Sitangshu Mohan Deb, Principal Scientists, Dr. Champak Bhakat and Dr Mohan Mandal actively participated in the programme.

Senior Scientist & Head KVK, Dr. Fakar Uddin Ali Ahmed along with other scientists and staff members of KVK, Dhubri, Associate Dean and other teachers, staff of Sarat Chandra Sinha College of Agriculture, Dhubri, Rangamati were present in the programme under which a Scientists-Farmers' interaction programme was also conducted where a total of 300 farmers participated.

Dr. Deb highlighted the objectives of the programme and its role in empowerment of NEH farmers for increasing their socio-economic status through Dairy/Piggery /Goat based integrated farming, feeding practices, housing, vaccination, mortality issues with general management, transportation stress and he urged all farmers for providing feedback in future.

Dr Bhakat in his speech narrated different aspects of scientific livestock farming like breeding strategies, advantages of Assam Goat and Piggery, fodder production etc. Dr Mohan Mandal stressed reproductive management of goat and piggery,deworming etc.

Dr. F.U.A. Ahmed also stressed the need for uplift of Dhubri district farmers through livestock/poultry based integrated farming and he also narrated the important role of KVK in collecting the feedbacks from the beneficiaries.

The farmers also showed their keen interest in scientific livestock rearing and they were highly motivated to adopt scientific rearing of their livestock to make it as a profitable business. Some need-based inputs were distributed to around 250 farmers to help them rear livestock scientifically. Around 300 farmers of various villages, namely Choibari, Nidani, Baronitara, Salkocha, Velupara, Gaurangtari, Kamarpara, Bamunpara, Srigram Pt-I, Udmari, Paschim Medhipara, Bahalpur Totpara etc of Dhubri district were benefited with feeds and mineral mixtures.

Various training programmes were given at different villages on scientific goat rearing and management, rearing management of pig and on animal health and disease management. National Diary Research Institute also distributed piglets, goat kids and related inputs among the farmers for overall development of the farming community.

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