5th November 2024, Kanpur
A convergence platform meeting for Rabi (Wheat) Sowing was organized at ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone-III, Kanpur, in hybrid mode today under the aegis of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia-Krishi Vigyan Kendra Network project. The meeting aimed to share the experiences of best management practices adopted for wheat cultivation in Eastern and Central Uttar Pradesh during previous years and also to share the appropriate messages of best practices for further spread in the state by different stakeholders during the Rabi season 2024-25.
Dr R.R. Burman, Assistant Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR, virtually participated in the meeting and discussed the potential for scaling up this technology to larger areas and the importance of managing the time of paddy transplanting and wheat sowing. He emphasised the establishment of a MEL cell at the ICAR level to understand adoption patterns and yield gaps and the potential of such a project in realizing the on-station research and field extension priorities.
Dr Sanjay Singh, Director General, UPCAR, Lucknow, highlighted the growing trend of reduced use of certain rice varieties and stressed the potential for better time management in agriculture. He underscored the significance of nutrient management, irrigation, and mechanization in enhancing agricultural productivity.
Dr Sugandha Munshi, Senior Associate Scientist-Lead Specialist, International Rice Research Institute, briefed on Gender mainstreaming. Dr Munshi discussed the importance of the convergence platform in delivering real-time services to farmers, creating a healthy ecosystem, and generating evidence. She highlighted the platform’s ability to reach both male and female farmers with the right information.
Dr R.K. Malik, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), gave a detailed presentation on the Important Interventions of wheat crop. He focused on the need for consensus in research and extension by citing the example of increasing wheat productivity in Uttar Pradesh. Dr Malik emphasized the need for all stakeholders to agree on key issues and implement them consistently to achieve desired outcomes.
Dr S.K. Dubey, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Kanpur, emphasized the importance of combining technology with management components for the ensured sustainability of the rice-wheat system in Eastern UP. He also highlighted the potential of the partnership between ICAR, KVK, and CSISA to generate evidence-based findings and thus guide the research and extension paradigms.
The meeting focused on agricultural technology and management strategies to improve crop yields, particularly for rice and wheat systems in Eastern India. Discussions covered topics such as nutrient management, irrigation, mechanization, and the importance of integrating research and extension efforts to address yield gaps and adoption challenges.
(Source: ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone-III, Kanpur)
