ATMA Botsa Block officials with participants at a newly launched SRI Farm School at Tuophema village on September 3. (Photo Courtesy: ATMA Kohima Botsa Block)
ATMA Botsa block launches System of Rice Intensification Farm School
Kohima, September 8 (MExN): Sharing his experience with System of Rice Intensification (SRI) farming, Thepfuchalie Kense, a pioneer in SRI farming in Tuophema village, said that he got inspiration by reading journals and articles about SRI. It was boosted after attending training on SRI conducted by ATMA Kohima at Tuophema village in July 2014.
Kense, who was appointed as the Farm School Teacher at the SRI Farm School launched by ATMA Kohima Botsa block in Tuophema village on September 3, said that by 2015, he decided to convert his 2 terraces to SRI on trial mode, but did not bear good result due to his incompetency on the practices of the new system.
In the year 2017, Kense decided to covert his whole field (1.5 acre approx) to SRI farming. Gradually with proper inputs, timely intervention from SDAO Chiephobozou assisting with farm machineries and knowledge resulted in more yield i.e. 30% more than the previous years and the system is been practiced till date.
During the launch, ATM Medokhrielie delivered a lecture on the concept and guidelines of a farm school purposes, where one of the main activities would be to operationalize frontline demonstration in one or more crops and also provide technical trainings to target farmers by having an interactive session, the role of the farm school teacher where his/her knowledge and skills would be upgraded on continuous basis through trainings at various levels.
Later, demonstration on nursery bed preparation of winter vegetables (Cabbage and Broccoli) was conducted at Tsiemekhu Bawe/Basa village with Hainenle Tep, ATM and Medokhrielie, ATM as the resource persons. They highlighted on the importance of raising proper nursery to get a good outcome of the seeds and how valuable and very small seeds can be raised effectively without any wastage.
The participants were advised on the time of sowing and to adopt timely sowing of crops, seed rate, spacing, irrigation schedules, the time of transplanting and the after care of the seedlings.
The resource persons also apprised the farmers on the Kisan Call Centre (KCC), its toll free number and how it can be effectively used to their advantage in their farming activities
Altogether 15 farmers participated in the two demonstration programmes and were distributed F1 Hybrid seeds of Cabbage, Broccoli, Green pea and roban.
