ITANAGAR, Mar 1: A one-day field training and demonstration programme, under the ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi supported project ‘Fodder and Livestock Based Interventions for Livelihood Improvement of NEH Farmers’, organised by the Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science &Technology (NERIST) was held at Pithaguri village near Pathali Pahar in Lakhimpur district of Assam.
About 50 villagers, particularly the women folks comprising the members of Self Help Groups, attended the programme.
Prof P R Gajurel, who coordinated the programme and introduced it, highlighted the need of importance of fodder plants to support livestock management practices for livelihood improvement and revenue generation. He also explained the potentiality and importance of various fodder crops like alfalfa, cow pea, napier grass, jack fruit, kanchan, figs, wild neem etc.
Prof B Singh also highlighted the need and importance of cultivation of horticultural crops like black pepper, ginger, pipali, banana, baer, guava etc. He also explained different crop management practices for the benefits of farmers.
During the event, the tools and techniques of nursery, propagation and plantation were made. The detailed methods of propagation and cultivation of the crop, particularly the napier grass and black pepper were demonstrated extensively.
Dr Soyala Kashung and Muskan Devi, the researchers from the Department, also actively participated in demonstration of the nursery and plantation techniques.
Seedlings and sampling of different plants like Jack Fruit, Litchi, kanchan, Jamun, napier grass etc were distributed to the farmers, who requested the NERIST faculty and scientist to provide such field training regularly for the benefits of the poor communities.
Further, the organiser assured the villagers of all possible help from the Forestry Department of NERIST in adequate management of fodder and horticultural crops developing suitable Agroforestry systems. The Department of Forestry has been regularly organising such programmes for the benefits of the farmers of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.