Rice Crop Cafeteria evaluation-cum-field day held in Sonitpur district
OUR CORRESPONDENT
TEZPUR: A day-long programme on Participatory Varietal Field Day of Rice Variety Cafeteria was organized by CSS-Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) - Sonitpur, under the aegis of Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (APART) Project at Nagapathar Gaon under Rangapara Development Block in the Sonitpur district.
The rice crop cafeteria was set up in the field of farmer Albart Barda in a plot measuring 2 bighas. Ten selected Stress-tolerant Rice Varieties (STRVs), Premium Quality Rice (PQR), High Yielding Variety (HYV) and local varieties were grown for the live demonstrations of farmers where they can learn skills in different farm operations through evidence-based learnings, from land preparation to harvesting. Ten varieties of rice grown in the plot of Albart Barda were Kumal Dhan , Bahadur Sub-1, Kunkuni Joha, Aijung, Bindhan 11, Ranjit Sub-1,Sorbhog Joha, Bakul Bora, Sava 127, White Aijung
The programme started with a welcome address and introductory session by Assistant Block Technology Manager (ATM) of Rangapara Development Block Hiranjit Pegu. Inaugurating the programme, Research Technician APART-IRRI, Sonitpur Pankaj Baruah said, "Rice Varietal Cafeteria facilitates scientific evaluation and selection process of new varieties." He added that through this concept farmers and stakeholders are able to compare and select the best varieties that have been identified as suitable for growing in their plots of land.
District Agricultural Officer, Sonitpur, Pankaj Saikia extensively elaborated the importance of selecting rice varieties by the farmers themselves for their local environment which would ease researchers and breeders to develop varieties according to the choices of farmers of the region and thus explained the importance of conducting participatory varietal evaluation by establishing a Rice Varietal Cafeteria. He said that the entire exercise from seed sowing to harvesting are closely monitored by the officers and officials of IRRI and ATMA teams timely.
SDAO-cum-Nodal officer , APART of Sonitpur district, Pranjal Sarmah described the evaluation process of the 10 rice varieties grown in the plot of the Albart Barda and the ATM allotted voting cards to the farmer participants to vote for their desired varieties by observing the phenotypic characteristics of their interest. The officers and officials present on the occasion also took part in the evaluation process of the rice varieties and expressed their scientific views on variety evaluation. Pranjal Sarmah also briefed about different schemes of the Agriculture department.
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