Farm productivity rises in Kalam inspired mission in Paliganj

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Farmers in remote Paliganj block in Bihar have benefited from a technology mission in agriculture initiated by former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam with productivity of staple grains, rice and wheat, more than doubling in the past decade.

Launched in 2000, 'Mission mode programme of Technology vision 2020' was aimed at filling the technology gap for increasing crop productivity, TIFAC Director Gautam Goswami, who looked after the mission in Paliganj, said.

Goswami said prior to the mission rice productivity in Paliganj was 2 tonne per hectare which has now risen to about 5 tonne a hectare.

Likewise, for wheat the productivity was less than 2 tonne per hectare which has now jumped to 4-5 tonne per hectare. The mission run by Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), part of Ministry of Science and Technology, under close supervision of Kalam has brought a turnaround in the economy of farmers in Paliganj block, around 25 km from Patna.

The mission in Paliganj came to an end last year, Goswami said, adding we still keep track of the progress through different agencies.

Speaking at the 84th foundation day function of ICAR here Recently, Kalam profusely referred about his engagement with farmers of Paliganj which pitchforked crops productivity. He said to provide better exposure to Paliganj farmers, he had organised field visit of four growers to Gujarat where agricultural sector is growing at 9 per cent per annum.

Similar trips were held for farmers to visit Amalsad, Chikku fruit Cooperative and Warana PURA in Maharashtra where farmers can understand the merits of the cooperative system.

Goswami said under the mission carried out in association with the country's premier agri research body ICAR and state agriculture universities, farmers were provided vital information like which crop to plant, how much fertilisers should be used and from where to purchase quality seeds.

Hundreds of farmers would be called at some community place like temple or panchayat bhawan and provided important information about affordable farm technology through which they could multiply their agricultural productivity, the TIFAC Director said.