Awareness programme for Ganjam farmers

A one-day awareness programme was organised on effective rice fallow land management at Padmanabhapur village in Digapahandi block, Ganjam district, under the Comprehensive Rice Fallow Management project in collaboration with Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, aimed to incorporate lentil and pulses cultivation in the post-paddy fallow land.

The initiative will not only boost farmer’s income, but also promote nitrogen fixation thereby reducing cultivation cost because of minimising or eliminating chemical usage. The programme covers 88 farmers (34 male, 54 female) along with Panchayat Raj Institution (PRI) members, and officials from agriculture department have actively participated. In Ganjam district the project is intended to cover 8150 hectares of rice fallow land out, of which 550 hectares black gram and 7600 hectares green gram in 12 blocks.