KVK, Kapurthala organised stakeholder meet to manage paddy residue

Ludhiana, August 24, 2023: Agriculture forms the backbone of economies worldwide, providing sustenance and livelihoods to millions. However, modern agricultural practices often come with challenges, one of which is effective crop residue management. Crop residues, can significantly impact soil health, environmental quality, and farmer livelihoods if not managed properly. Custom hiring centres plays a crucial role in providing machinery to the farmers who can’t affords to purchase it. In this context, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) organized a workshop on “Strengthening of custom hiring centres” at its campus on Thursday for the sectaries of cooperative societies and owners of Custom hiring centres. On the onset of workshop Dr Bindu aware the participants regarding PAU recommended machinery for Management of paddy straw and importance of networking of agricultural machinery for its maximum utilization. 

Dr Amit Salaria explained the insitu and exsitu practices to manage the Paddy residue besides providing the location specific techniques to address this issue. He also deliberated on surface seeding method of wheat. Dr. Amandeep Kaur motivated the farmers to use mulch in vegetable crops like turmeric, muskmelon as it suppress the weeds, conserve soil moisture and improves the quality of crop. 

Dr. Ashok Kumar discussed about management of paddy residue w.r.t. augmenting soil health by supplying essential nutrients viz. sulphur, soil organic carbon, phosphorus, potash etc. He also stressed upon use of balanced fertilizers in crops on soil test based report. 

Dr. Suman discussed about management of insect, pest and disease in residue managed fields. She also talked about the management of pink stem borer and rodents in happy seeder sown fields. 

Guryadvinder, AR, cooperative societies motivated the sectaries to gain technical know-how about residue management from KVK scientists to motivate the farmers attached with their societies. 

Dr Balbir chand, Cheif Agriculture Officer, Kapurthala asked the owners of custom hiring centres to run their machinery banks to full potential with maximum beneficiaries. Dr. Harinder Singh, Assoc. Director (Trg.) assured the stakeholders to provide all the technological backstopping and said that KVK would also facilitate the farmers by conducting demonstrations on crop residue machinery at farmers fields to showcase the success of technology. In the end, PAU literature was distributed to participants to update their agricultural knowledge and technical know-how.