Providing scientific solutions to farmers' challenges

Tadepalligudem (West Godavari District): The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) which is scheduled from May 29 to June 15 is being conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Venkataramannagudem, under Dr YSR Horticultural University. It was a flagship outreach initiative by the Government of India aimed at empowering farmers ahead of the Kharif season. VKSA was spanned 45 villages in 25 mandals of East Godavari, West Godavari, and Eluru districts, reaching out to 16,262 farmers. Dr P Vijaya Lakshmi, Principal Scientist at KVK, VR Gudem, served as the nodal officer, with a team of scientists including Dr Pedababu, Dr Rekha, Dr Prasad Reddy, and Dr Deepthi. Scientists from Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR), Pedavegi, Dr Ramachandrudu, Dr Mary Rani, and Dr Premalatha also participated. The key focus of VKSA is on enhancing farmer incomes through scientific agricultural practices.
During interactive sessions, the scientists stressed the importance of choosing climate-resilient and high-yielding varieties such as Bhima MTU-1140 and MTU-1232 as alternatives to the commonly grown Swarna variety.
They also advocated for organic cultivation methods, soil testing, soil fertility enhancement techniques, and the adoption of oil palm as a major source of revenue. Special focus was laid on horticultural crops like coconut, cocoa, oil palm, banana, mango, cashew, and vegetables, all of which are increasingly affected by climate change, nutritional deficiencies, and pest attacks such as spiralling whiteflies.
The initiative was carried out in close coordination with officials from the departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries, with support from local political leaders and active participation from the farming community.
Dr Vijaya Lakshmi expressed satisfaction over the successful execution of the programme and the overwhelming response from farmers. 'We are glad to have directly reached thousands of farmers and provided scientific solutions to their field-level challenges,' she said.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

3 days ago

• Time of India

Rare wild mushroom discovered in Arunachal's Longhua village

Longding: A large wild mushroom, tentatively identified as Infundibulicybe gibba (formerly Clitocybe gibba), a well-known edible species, was discovered in the moist, shaded bamboo structures of Longhua village in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. The mushroom was identified based on its distinct morphological characteristics by Deep Narayan Mishra, a subject matter specialist (plant pathology) at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Longding. According to Mishra, the specimen exhibited typical features such as a pale, funnel-shaped cap, decurrent gills, a central stipe and growth on decomposing organic matter. These traits align with those commonly observed in Infundibulicybe species, which are generally found in temperate and subtropical forested regions and are known for their edibility and nutritional benefits, he said. In several tribal and rural communities, such mushrooms are traditionally consumed for their protein, fiber and mineral content. However, Mishra cautioned that the current identification is only tentative and should not be considered conclusive without laboratory confirmation. He stressed the importance of scientific validation through methods such as internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequencing, spore print analysis to assess colour and pattern and microscopic examination of spores and hyphal structures. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo These tests are essential not only for accurate taxonomic placement but also to differentiate the mushroom from closely related or potentially toxic species. He also advised that any wild mushrooms intended for consumption must be properly identified, thoroughly cleaned, and cooked — either by boiling or frying — to eliminate any harmful compounds that may be present. Mishra emphasised that this discovery reflects the rich biodiversity of the Longding area and presents opportunities to raise community awareness about wild edible mushrooms. It also offers potential for sustainable harvesting and further scientific research, which could enhance food security, nutrition, and income generation for rural and tribal populations in the region.

Hans India

13-06-2025

• Hans India

Providing scientific solutions to farmers' challenges

Tadepalligudem (West Godavari District): The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) which is scheduled from May 29 to June 15 is being conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Venkataramannagudem, under Dr YSR Horticultural University. It was a flagship outreach initiative by the Government of India aimed at empowering farmers ahead of the Kharif season. VKSA was spanned 45 villages in 25 mandals of East Godavari, West Godavari, and Eluru districts, reaching out to 16,262 farmers. Dr P Vijaya Lakshmi, Principal Scientist at KVK, VR Gudem, served as the nodal officer, with a team of scientists including Dr Pedababu, Dr Rekha, Dr Prasad Reddy, and Dr Deepthi. Scientists from Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR), Pedavegi, Dr Ramachandrudu, Dr Mary Rani, and Dr Premalatha also participated. The key focus of VKSA is on enhancing farmer incomes through scientific agricultural practices. During interactive sessions, the scientists stressed the importance of choosing climate-resilient and high-yielding varieties such as Bhima MTU-1140 and MTU-1232 as alternatives to the commonly grown Swarna variety. They also advocated for organic cultivation methods, soil testing, soil fertility enhancement techniques, and the adoption of oil palm as a major source of revenue. Special focus was laid on horticultural crops like coconut, cocoa, oil palm, banana, mango, cashew, and vegetables, all of which are increasingly affected by climate change, nutritional deficiencies, and pest attacks such as spiralling whiteflies. The initiative was carried out in close coordination with officials from the departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries, with support from local political leaders and active participation from the farming community. Dr Vijaya Lakshmi expressed satisfaction over the successful execution of the programme and the overwhelming response from farmers. 'We are glad to have directly reached thousands of farmers and provided scientific solutions to their field-level challenges,' she said.

The Hindu

10-06-2025

• The Hindu

High-density multi-species cropping system helps in boosting net income of farmers: CPCRI

A cropping model of combined cultivation of coconut, black pepper, banana, and pineapple developed by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, Kerala, has shown a net return of ₹3.5 lakh to ₹4 lakh per hectare per year, a release issued by director K. Balachandra Hebbar stated. 'When this model was adopted, the net return was two to three times higher than that from a sole coconut crop. At present, it is adopted in 10% of the 22 lakh hectares of area under coconut cultivation. But there is huge scope to expand it to other areas,' the release, issued on the occasion of Vikasit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan observed in the country from May 29 to June 12, said. The release said that the CPCRI, under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has developed several effective coconut and arecanut-based cropping/farming system models that significantly enhance farm productivity, profitability, and climate resilience. Another successful model developed by the institute, as per the release, is the combined cultivation of arecanut, black pepper, coca and banana system. 'It provides a steady income throughout the year, with net returns reaching ₹4.4 lakh to ₹10 lakh per hectare per year,' the release mentioned. The CPCRI, having its regional station at Vitla and a research centre with International Coconut Genebank - South Asia and Middle East (ICG-SAME) at Kidu near Kukke Subrahmanya in Karnataka, is actively leading efforts to empower the farming community for enhancing crop productivity, farmer profitability, and environmental sustainability through field-level engagement and science-backed interventions, the director stated in the release. With the adoption of scientific technologies, it is possible to increase the yield of plantation crops to the tune of 10%, which would ultimately position India as the 'food basket of the world'. 'In coconut alone, with 22 lakh hectares under cultivation, even a 10-nut increase per palm from the current average of 60 could yield 385 crore additional nuts annually, translating to an estimated ₹3,850 crore boost in farmer revenue,' the release said. The release stated that a major thrust of the CPCRI's initiative is encouraging farmers to replace low-yielding varieties with high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties of coconut, arecanut, and cocoa. Improved varieties Kalpa Ratna, Kera Keralam, Chandra Kalpa, Kalpa Mitra, Kalpa Dhenu, Kalpatharu, and hybrids: KalpaSamrudhi, Chandra Laksha, Kera Sankara in coconut, Shatamangala, Madhuramangala, Swarnamangala in arecanut, and VTLCH 3, VTLCH 4, VTLCC 1 in cocoa are being promoted for their superior yield potential and stress tolerance. It further said that the abhiyan, launched under the Union government's broader vision to transform agriculture into a climate-resilient, technology-driven sector, involves collaboration between CPCRI scientists, nearby ICAR institutes, State agriculture department, ATMA, other line departments and KrishiVigyanKendras (KVKs).