Developing Rainfed Technologies for Dryland Agriculture

Developing rainfed technologies, which are integrated and implemented through convergence of various national/state agriculture/rural /tribal development   programmes in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state. The XVI Working Group Meeting of All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture (AICRPDA), ICAR-CRIDA was organized at AICRPDA centre, Jagdalpur, IGKV, Chhattisgarh  with the main objective to critically review the progress at centres and finalize technical programme for 2018-19.

Education Minister, Government of Chhattisgarh Shri Kedar Kashyap ,  was the Chief Guest in his address appreciated the efforts of AICRPDA centre, Jagdalpur in developing rainfed technologies, which are integrated and implemented through convergence of various national/state agriculture/rural /tribal development   programmes in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state. Shri Kashyap  emphasized the need to enhance the livelihoods of the tribal farmers.

Dr. S.K. Patil, Vice Chancellor, IGKV, emphasized that AICRPDA is a unique project in addressing holistically the productivity, profitability and sustainability of rainfed agriculture in small farm holdings.

Dr. J.C Katyal Chairman and members of VII QRT (CRIDA-AICRPDA-AICRPAM) appreciated the honouring of best dryland small and marginal farmers, particularly women farmers, from various states by the Project on the occasion and suggested to develop rainfed technologies considering the socioeconomic aspects of the small and marginal farmers.

Dr. S. Bhaskar, ADG(Agronomy, Agroforestry & Climate Change), NRM Division, ICAR, while appreciating the efforts of AICRPDA, also suggested to strengthen agro-ecology specific rainfed integrated farming systems for risk resilience and sustainability of rainfed agriculture.

Dr. Sammi Reddy suggested for strengthening existing collaboration with other AICRPS for addressing operationalization of the real-time contingency plan implementation at microlevel.

Dr. G. Ravindra Chary, Project Coordinator, AICRPDA, briefed about the achievements   of the project and purpose of the meeting. Dr. S.S. Rao, , Director of Research Services, IGKV, welcomed the gathering.

On the occasion, Shri Kashyap ,  Minister and dignitaries felicitated 13 best dryalnd farmers from various states for their efforts in adoption and popularizing the improved rainfed technologies, 19 publications by PC unit, AICRPDA and AICRPDA centres were released.

The other dignitaries present on the occasion include Shri Anoop Shrivastava, IAS, Secretary, Agriculture, Govt. of Chhattisgarh,  Dr. M.B. Chetti, ADG(HRD), Education Division, ICAR & Governing Body Member, IGKV, other GB members of IGKV, Dr. K. Sammi Reddy, Director(Acting), ICAR- CRIDA, public representatives for Bastar region, district officials, scientists from PC Unit, AICRPDA, ICAR-CRIDA, AICRPDA centes, IGKV, AICRPs at Jagdalpur  and KVKs in Bastra region and most importantly, the farmers from  various states and  Bastar region.

During the meeting, Shri Dhananjay Dewangan, IAS, Collector, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh, interacted with the scientists from the centres and discussed about the issues to be addressed for rainfed agriculture and development in Bastar district.