Four agricultural scientists from Chhattisgarh have received Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Award for Outstanding Research in Tribal Farming Systems 2019.

 

Four agricultural scientists namely- Principal Scientist of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)- National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur Dr Anil Dixit, Scientist of Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, IGKV Raipur Dr Abhinav Sao, Senior Scientist and Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, IGKV Jagdalpur, Bastar Dr S K Nag and Chief Scientist of AICRPDA, S G CARS, IGKV Jagdalpur Dr Adikant Pradhan have been selected by the ICAR.

 

Talking to ‘The Hitavada,’ Principal Scientist Dr Anil Dixit said that the scientists of the State have brought laurels to the Sate after receiving the most prestigious ICAR’s Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Award for Outstanding Research in Tribal Farming Systems 2019 in Bastar region.

 

This award was given on the occasion of 92nd Foundation day of ICAR through video conferencing on Thursday. Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar was the chief guest at the programme.

Dr Anil Dixit was appointed as Nodal officer during Krishi Kalyan Abhiyan programme run in tribal dominated Dantewada and Sukma districts.

 

Principal Scientist Dr Dixit said that the work was mainly focused on the constraints of local varieties of rice, pulses and oilseeds; fragmented land holding, low productive agriculture, early and mid season dry spell, negligible winter rain, labour problem during peak agriculture, migration to earn wage. These were identified through farmers’ interactions, field visits, FLDs, organising Krishi mela, field day and feed backs from farmers as well as departments.

 

On station experiments focused on the themes viz, rain water management, crops and cropping system, weed management, evaluation of improved varieties, energy management and alternate land use system. Research findings on contingent crop planning, improved varieties/hybrids, nutrient management in framing potential technological strategy for reducing pitfall of farming system were quite useful. Rain water management to improve its use efficiency, crop diversification and intensification through intercropping and double cropping to enhance system productivity under vagaries of rainfall scenario, mechanization for reducing cost of labour and livestock based livelihood activity have improved productivity of crops and the profitability increased by 2-3 time over targeted crops. The outcomes of research and technological applied under the project have been taken for upscaling through MGNERA, watershed, ATMA, NABARD, Pragati Prayas-Dantewada and Amar Jyoti: The Rural Development Society-Gunpur flagship programmes in across 9 rainfed farming districts of Chhattisgarh. Weed management of different farming situations with integrated approaches increased farm income tremendously with collaboration of ICAR-NIBSM, Raipur. Double cropping on lowlands of marginal and small farmers was targeted with community fencing which was financial supported by district administration at various villages through KVKs.

 

The team consisted of Dr Adikant Pradhan, Dr S K Nag, Dr Abhinav Sao from IGKV and Dr Anil Dixit from ICAR-NIBSM, Raipur for this commendable and achievement at national level.

It may be mentioned that the ICAR has been recognising and