ICAR Organized “State Level Maize Day” in Haryana

The ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana; ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana, Punjab and International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center in collaboration with the State Agriculture Departments, Government of Punjab and CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Karnal, Haryana organized the “State Level Maize Day”.

Improving Adoption of Diversify Crops

In his address, the Chief Guest, Dr. B.R. Kamboj, Vice-Chancellor, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana stressed the need of thinking holistically for value-chain development to realize the results of diversification. The need for involvement of the KVK and Department of Agriculture for enhancing the adoption of diversified crops was also emphasized by Dr. Kamboj.

Adoption of Maize-Mustard-Mungbean System

The Special Guest, Dr. Suresh Kumar, Former Additional Director (Agriculture Extension), Government of Haryana accentuated on adopting the holistic Maize-Mustard-Mungbean Systems to enhance profitability for replacing the Rice-Wheat System. He also urged convincing the farmers to save water and enhance profitability.

Aditya Dabas, Deputy Director (Agriculture), Karnal, Government of Haryana outlined the State Government’s initiatives for the diversification by incentivizing with Rs. 7,000/acre for Maize cultivation.

Dr. Sujay Rakshit, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, Ludhiana, Punjab stated about the establishment of such participatory innovation platforms of Maize system with value-chain for the diversification of rice in Punjab and Haryana as advised by the Secretary (DARE) & DG (ICAR).

He also outlined the establishment of participatory “Innovation Platform on Potential Yield Realization of Maize-based Cropping Systems” in Punjab and Haryana by the ICAR-IIMR, Ludhiana and ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Haryana in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), India, State Departments of Agriculture in Haryana; CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, and other key stakeholders.

Dr. P.C. Sharma, Director, ICAR-CSSRI, Karnal, Haryana highlighted the establishment of a long-term research trial for the comparison of Maize v/s Rice Systems in 2009 in collaboration with the CIMMYT.

Underlining the current issues of water table decline and residue burning, Dr. M.L. Jat, Principal Scientist, CIMMYT, India urged the farmers to adopt Maize for sustainable resources for future generations. The senior officials of ICAR Institutes and State Agricultural Departments were also present during the occasion. Over 300 farmers and stakeholders participated in the event.

Source: ICAR