Farmers trained on soil health management

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 4, 2019

SHILLONG: Three days residential training programme on ‘‘Diagnostic measures of nutrient stress in horticulture crops through soil health management” was conducted by ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya on November 26-28 under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP).

The said training programme imparted theory as well as practical (hand-on) exposure on different soil health management strategies to overcome the nutrient stresses in horticulture crops for productivity improvement and livelihood security of the tribal farmers of Meghalaya.

About 40 farmers from different villages namely Mawmih, Lawmai and Mawlaiteng from East Khasi Hills District, Pamrakmai, Kyndongtuber, Shiliangmyntang and Khlieh Myntriang from West Jaintia Hills District participated in the programme.

Various subject matter experts from the Institute covered several important aspects of  soil health management in horticultural crops – nursery management, rapid and simple way of nutrient stress detection, deficiency diagnosis based on simplified soil test approaches,  soil acidity induced fertility stress management, seed pelleting and priming approaches, conversion of organic wastes to nutrient supplementation, in-situ soil moisture conservation and re-use for enhancing water productivity in hill horticulture.

In the valedictory programme, inputs such as spade, water can, hand sprayer, balances etc. along with certificates were distributed by Dr. S Hazarika, Nodal Officer, TSP and Head, Division of Natural Resource Management of ICAR (RC) for NEH Region, Umiam. The training programme was coordinated by Dr. BU Choudhury, Dr. T Ramesh, Dr. H Talang, Dr. A Balusamy, Dr. M Prabha Devi, Dr. M Chakraborty, Dr. L Joymati Chanu and Dr. M Bilashini Devi.

Overwhelming response from the farmer-trainees and feedback encouraged the coordinators to conduct more such trainings in essential livelihood avenues in the coming days.