Shillong, Jun 18: Ninety-two village headmen representing the East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi districts on Thursday attended a meeting organised by the ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region, Umiam with KVK.
The objective of the meeting was to create awareness on the ongoing nationwide Khet Bachao Abhiyan (Save the Farm Campaign) to promote balanced fertiliser use, long-term soil fertility and climate-resilient farming.
ICAR Director Dr. G. Kadirvel expressed concerns over the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which has led to multiple agricultural export consignments being rejected due to high chemical residues.
He highlighted that India relies heavily on imports of chemical fertilizers, which poses a significant financial burden on the country. The role of village headmen is crucial in disseminating knowledge about these sustainable practices to farmers in their communities.
Kadirvel urged the headmen to actively encourage farmers to adopt balanced fertilizer application, natural farming and urban farming practices for long-term agricultural sustainability.
Participants learned about bio-agents, methods of production, and the benefits of green manuring, which are vital for maintaining crop productivity while enhancing soil health.
Dr. B. P. Singh, Head, Division of Technology Assessment and Capacity Building (DTAC) emphasised equipping village headmen with scientific knowledge on balanced nutrient management to ensure effective information transfer to grassroots farmers.
Dr. Md. Mokidul Islam, Principal Scientist & Head, KVK Ri Bhoi highlighted that the cooperation of village headmen would be instrumental in spreading awareness to every corner of Meghalaya.
The programme also included a lecture on the importance of natural farming and discussion on soil health management and scientific practices of horticultural crops.
