Parbhani-based Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University has modified over 1,000 acres of land lying unused for over two decades into cultivable land.
The land had been left unused for more than two decades but has now been revitalized for agricultural purposes, including seed generation and the development of new crop varieties. Starting from July 6, the university has initiated experiments involving soybean and pigeon peas on this land.
Indra Mani, the vice-chancellor of the university, mentioned that the seeds produced from this land will be made available to the farming community at affordable prices. The land had been neglected since 2001 and gradually became barren, overrun with unwanted vegetation. However, the university administration made a firm commitment to rejuvenate the land and make it suitable for cultivation.
To prepare the land for sowing during the ongoing Kharif season, the university employed both manpower and heavy machinery to clear the unwanted vegetation.
Additionally, they constructed four new farm ponds and renovated a large, old farm pond to ensure an ample water supply for irrigation purposes. The combined water storage capacity now stands at approximately 8 crore litres, addressing the diverse irrigation needs of the project.
Four varieties of soybean and two varieties of pigeon peas are being cultivated on the newly transformed land. Once the Kharif season concludes, the land will be utilized for seed cultivation in the Rabi season, following a well-planned schedule.
Over the past six months, the university has played a crucial role in developing new crop varieties. Last September, the central government approved three crops developed by the university, including sorghum, safflower, and desi cotton.
In December, three more crop varieties were granted approval by the government.
The newly developed pigeon pea varieties were recommended for use in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, while the Ministry of Agriculture recommended the use of the new soybean varieties in Maharashtra.
