Farmers must benefit from linkages in introducing new technology-
Prof. R. O. Thattil
Irangika Range
THE SIGIRIYA VILLAGE HOTEL FARM: This farm uses fruits and
vegetables manufactured in their own backyard using organic
fertiliser.
|
FARMING TECHNOLOGY: The Government, research institutions and private
sector should play a meaningful role in taking new technologies to
farmers. There is a need to ensure that farmers get the benefits of new
technologies, being developed in agriculture in the country.
Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture(PGIA) Prof. R.O.
Thattil said there should be a proper linkage between related government
bodies who prepare and implement national agriculture policies and
research institutes and universities, to ensure the proper utilisation
of new technology to promote agriculture.
"The PGIA conducts research on various agriculture aspects including
genetics and breeding, biotechnology, horticulture, forestry and
agroforesty, agri-business management, bio-statistics, livestock
production, fisheries and food technology covering technical,
socio-economic and environmental aspects.
Thattil said these new technologies need to be taken to the farmers
without much of a time lag.
"Missing of proper coordination between the policy makers and
research institutes is a major drawback to ensure the speedy development
of the sector," he said.
He said although many institutes and universities introduce new
technologies, they don't have much capacity to introduce them among the
farmers.
"It is a large scale work and related government bodies should
include these new proposals into the policy framework. They should also
play an active role to implement these policies in the field. More field
work should be done by agriculture extension officers to educate farmers
in adopting new technology to increase their food and animal
productivity. If related bodies can continue these types of awareness
programmes, we can expect more development in the industry," he said.
He said farmers are somewhat slow in adopting the new technologies
and many education programmes on pre and post harvest, management and
market should be conducted for the benefit of farmers.
The PGIA has done research on various agricultural aspects.
Introduction of more productive seeds to produce high quality chillies
and paddy is one of the successful areas.
He said most of the farmers don't have a good idea of the accurate
applying of pesticide, insecticide and fertiliser to their cultivation.
"We have done many trials and experiments on various crops and it
should be popularised among the farmers. Weeds are also a major problem
for the farmers and the PGIA has done research to kill the weeds using
bio-controlling applications.
The industry should follow post harvest techniques to reduce the
damage and to store their crops without having them perish.
There are many possibilities to generate bio-organic fertiliser using
wastage at the farms.
Solid waste management systems and technologies of food science and
animal science would also lead to the high yielding production of
farmers. |