Farmers’ Field Days Organized at ICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur (UN Environment Protection-GEF Project)

Farmers’ Field Days were organized at ICAR – Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Jodhpur under the UN Environment Protection-GEF project on 5 th and 6th Sept 2022. Farmers from partner villages in Jodhpur (Govindpura, Mansagar, and Begriya villages in Osian block; Bara; and Baigati Khurd, Kalra, Hopardi, and Modhari villages in Phalodi block) and Barmer (Chohtan region) districts of Rajasthan participated in the event. The project supervisors of GRAVIS, the NGO partner in the project arranged the visit of the 110 farmers from these regions in two batches. At the onset, Dr. Rajwant K. Kalia, PI, and Co-ordinator of the Hot Arid Region component of the project welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of native germplasm, landraces, and varieties in agriculture. Dr. R.K. Kakani, Co-PI of the project discussed the problems being faced by farmers in their respective fields during the current season at length and suggested solutions. The farmers visited the multiplication blocks of mung bean and moth bean raised under the UNEP-GEF Project. Ten varieties of mung bean and moth bean and 15 germplasm lines of mung bean have been raised this year under this project. The farmers showed keen interest in the multiplication trial and compared their performance with germplasm lines provided to them. They also discussed the desirable characteristics of the above crops. They also visited the germplasm evaluation trial raised under DBT funded project wherein 400 mung bean and 497 moth bean germplasm lines are being evaluated. Mr. Rajendra Kumar, GRAVIS suggested the farmers purchase good quality seeds for both Kharif and Rabi crops from CAZRI. The farmers also visited the Kharif Crop Cafeteria and saw the pear millet, guar, and mung bean varieties. Dr. H.R. Mahla, PS and in Charge of Crop Cafetaria deliberated about the advanced germplasm and variety of materials being grown in the Cafeteria. The farmers were provided with one manual plow and scrapper each being used in CAZRI fields so that they can prepare multiple copies for regular use in their fields.

Read More: http://www.cazri.res.in/marquee/unenv-2022.pdf