Putting in unyielding efforts to bail out Punjab farmers from agrarian crisis, the Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Dr Satbir Singh Gosal held a meeting 17-06-2024 with a cluster of progressive farmers to study their ongoing daunting challenges and apprise them of agri-varsity’s new recommendations which are underway across the state.
During a close interaction, farmers voiced serious concerns over the depletion of precious water resource which if not saved at present can prove to be disastrous for the Punjab in the coming times. Pointing out the issue of area enhancement under the spring or summer maize, the farmers’ delegation called it as a big threat to the underground water resources.
Listening to the farmers’ woes, Dr Gosal engaged in fruitful deliberations concerning the development of water-smart ‘PR’ varieties of rice and water saving techniques. “Underground water depletion has raised serious alarm bells for the agricultural scientists as well as the farming community,” observed PAU VC, while terming it as a wake-up call for the entire Punjab. Enhancing resource use efficiency and addressing the dire aftereffects of the intensive wheat-rice cultivation are the primary concerns for PAU, he stated.
Referring to PAU’s research and extension accomplishments, Dr Gosal said, “In the current kharif season, farmers from across Punjab and other adjoining states made a beeline to purchase the seed of two PAU developed less water requiring and short duration PR varieties, namely PR 126 and PR 131. The abundant seed stock has been sold out in one go across 35 seed sale centres in Punjab, implying farmers’ ever-growing trust in the University’s crop varieties and their matching production and protection technologies.”
Further, Dr Gosal advocated paddy transplantation after June 20 and adoption of water, labour, environment and farmer friendly technology Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) under tar-wattar conditions. He also informed them about the promotion of canal water over the tube well water, and special focus on discouraging the cultivation of water-guzzling spring maize to save groundwater.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=9210
