Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar directed the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to issue advisory to all Vice-Chancellors of Agriculture Universities for taking classes through online mode and use online tools as much as possible amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Agriculture Minister Tomar Chaired a review meeting and checked the activities of the ICAR in helping farmers overcome the problems arising due to COVID-19 outbreak and nation-wide lockdown to check the spread of the pandemic.
Agriculture Minister also instructed the Council to aware farmers about the exemptions granted to them related activities during lockdown and important agricultural operations to carry out all precautions.
During the review meeting, ICAR Director General Dr T Mohapatra informed that ICAR has already issued advisories to all V-Cs for conducting online classes. ICAR head informed the Minister that the Council is using digital platforms to provide information to farmers.
While three ICAR institutes are engaged in COVID-19 testing on humans, the Council has undertaken several efforts to help farmers during lockdown and given advisories to crores of farmers across the country. ICAR Director also informed that they have issued National and state-specific advisory for farmers, translated into 15 regional languages and widely communicated through digital platforms.
Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI), Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) and National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Utilization Planning (NBSS&LUP) are the institutions working under ICAR in Nagpur issued advisories as per the directions of Ministry of Agriculture to farmers.
On the directions of the Agriculture Minister, more than 5.48 crore farmers have already been reached through the issue of 1,126 advisories across the states by Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) through mKisan portal.
Research institutes used ICT tools including Expert Systems and Mobile Apps, and provided advisories on appropriate crop management technologies in wheat, rice, maize, pulses, millets, oilseeds, sugarcane, fiber crops, mango, citrus, banana, pomegranate, grapes, litchi, spices, flowers, vegetables, melons and plantation crops such as coconut, cocoa and tuber crops. Advisories to various stakeholders and technologies for processing, value addition and marketing of flower, vegetables and fruit produce have been extended to entrepreneurs, private firms and state governments. ICAR has provided its Guest Houses at various establishments across the country for setting up quarantine facilities, informed ICAR to the Minister during the meeting.
