Dimapur, February 21 (MExN): Parliamentary Secretary for IT&C, Science & Technology, Technical Education and Taxes, Tovihoto Ayemi has called upon the farmers to make maximum use of the evolving technology, which could uplift the agriculture status ultimately contributing to the socio-economic status of the state.
Addressing a farmers’ training on bio-pesticides and its application at Nagaland Science Centre in Dimapur on Friday, Tovihoto said that many farmers were not able to fully optimise innovations, which could increase productivity. At the same time, he pointed out the major challenges faced by the farmers for sustainable agricultural practices while integrating chemical pesticides, fertilizers and bio-pesticides even as the state strives for total organic status.
Tovihoto said the state government has been promoting organic farming but added that the productivity aspects remained a big task. He said augmentation of bio-pesticides in organic farming would lead to sustainable farming and stabilise production levels.
The government has been making considerable efforts to make its agricultural system organic however, of late, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides by our farmers is increasingly noticed to combat pest and diseases for sustained production due to the ever-increasing pressure for cultivable land because of increase in population. In its pursuance for total organic status, integrating chemical pesticides and fertilizers and bio-pesticides is a major challenge for a sustainable agricultural practice. Many farmers and agriculturists are not able to fully optimize the innovations in frontier areas of agriculture which if fully optimised could increase productivity and this remains a big task he maintained.
Therefore, trainings such as this can considerably create awareness amongst the farmers, as augmentation of bio-pesticides in organic farming will lead to sustainable farming and at the same time stabilize production levels and can be also environment friendly he observed.
Tovihoto further added that Nagaland Science Technology Council (NASTEC) in collaboration with Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) Bangaluru, are initiating program for indigenously developing Bio-Pesticides formulated by IIHR which will be distributed and at the same time its usages will be disseminated to both farmers and agriculturists in Nagaland during the short training.
The farmers’ training is being organised by Nagaland Science and Technology Council in collaboration with Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Bengaluru and sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. Secretary, Science & Technology, Nihekhu was also present at the programme. The training which is being attended by farmers from other NE states as well will culminate on February 23.
(With DIPR inputs)
