The Central Agriculture University’s College of Post Graduate Studies in Agriculture Sciences at Umiam, Ri-Bhoi, celebrated the beginning of the International Year of Millet, which will be in 2023, by distributing saplings, seeds and other agricultural products to farmers of the district.
The main aim of organising this special programme for the farmers was to increase public awareness on the health benefits of millet and their suitability for cultivation under tough conditions marked by climate change.
CAU professor Ram Singh also said that another aim is to try to get farmers off chemical pesticides and on to bio-pesticides as the former, he said, have damaged the quality of soil and also reduced the production of agricultural produce.
During the programme, agri-inputs like bio pesticides, vegetable seeds, sprayer machines and fruits plants were distributed to 50 farmers including 10 numbers of Kanyas (girls) and 40 numbers of farmers in Ri Lajong Farmers Produce Organization situated at Nongpoh.
