Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar in Rajya Sabha said that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research Institutes and Krishi Vigyana Kendras have taken steps to develop and promote sustainable farming practices in India through use of technology.
ICAR has created 63 Integrated Farming System (IFS) models by involving various ICAR Institutes, State Agri Universities & farming community of 18 states. These models that have the potential to increase farmers’ income by 2 -3 times in 3 to 4 years are suitable to 26 States and Union Territories in the Country.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research has also developed 51 organic cropping systems suitable for adoption in 12 States. The other benefits include;
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Improvement in cropping intensity
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Reduced input cost - 30 to 72 percent reduction due to recycling of nutrients
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On-farm generation of nutrients (about 134 kg N, 55 kg P2O5 & 106 kg K2O /ha/year)
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Improvement in soil organic carbon - upto 22% in five years
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Suitability for multi-tier farming
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Employment generation
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Better sustainability
The minister said that promotion of the new and improved varieties or farming practices is mainly undertaken through a network of 722 KVKs established at the district level in India. The KVKs have given training to over 16 lakh farmers during last one year. KVKs executed 2.44 lakh frontline demonstrations on various crops, livestock and other enterprises and organized 10.95 lakh extension activities with the participation of 183.66 lakh farmers during last one year.
In addition, cluster demonstrations on organic farming under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana have been being implemented by 411 Krishi Vigyan Kendras covering 8220 ha area since 2019-20. Around 22240 farmers were given training on different aspects of organic farming last year.
He mentioned that ICAR has undertaken research for development of crop varieties that are resistant to diseases as well as extreme weather conditions.
910 varieties that are resistant, tolerant or moderately tolerant to various diseases have been developed during the last six years. In addition, 37 flood and/or submergence tolerant varieties and 137 drought or moisture stress tolerant varieties were developed during the period.
