A BISA-CIMMYT, CCAFS and Maharashtra Government Initiative
Farm Implement Distribution- Ghadchiroli,
Additionally, to provide real-time agro-advisories, ICT services play important role, particularly in a changing climate pattern when farmers often require crucial advices from experts. To provide weather forecast including extreme events, warning related to pest and disease outbreak, modern technologies, certification, market, insurance, schemes – mobile based ICT service is one of the most effective model. BISA in collaboration with IKSL (IFFCO Kishan Sanchar Ltd.) is rolling out a mobile based ICT service to provide agro-advisories to the enrolled farmers in Gadciroli along with Palghar and Pune districts. The service will be constantly monitored and upgraded as required to fit with the requirements of the all enrolled farmers in the due course.
An event was organized on 8th June, 2017 by BISA-CIMMYT and Govt. of Maharashtra in Gadchiroli to distribute farming machineries to promote climate smart agriculture. In a variable climate pattern, new technologies are essential to adapt, improve productivity and ensure low emission. The focus of the event was to promote climate smart agricultural practices. The event was chaired by Project Officers, Shri More and Shri Latarkar from Ettapalli and Aheri respectively along with Dr P. Naik from BISA-CIMMYT. More than three hundred farmers were participated from twenty villages of Aheri and Ettapalli talukas.
The officials discussed the relevance and importance of climate smart technologies in the context of climate change. They advocated the use of low cost input technology and discussed its influence in the pattern of farming practices in Aheri and Etapalli Talukas. It was discussed that technologies such as direct seeding in paddy cultivation, crop rotation practices for sustainable agriculture should be adapted instead of keeping the land fallow in the Rabi season.
Adoption of farm mechanization for precision agriculture is important. Some of major farm equipment’s viz., multi-crop planter, battery/manually operated sprayer and brush cutters were quite convincing to the farmers who showed keen enthusiasm. These equipment’s were distributed to twenty farmers’ group as an encouraging gesture. It is expected that in the due course more farmers would be inspired to take up such machine oriented package for better agricultural practices.
Agro insurance schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is one of the most essential component to protect farmers from uncertainties of adverse climatic impact. BISA enrolled 500 non-loanee farmers for insurance for Rabi 2016-17 season and in the process to enroll more farmers in Kharif 2017 season.