Covid 19 pandemic has increased the responsibility  of farmers and agriculture sector  in ensuring food security to the suffering lot during lockdown. Honourable Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi in his recent address,  had praised farmers for making agriculture sector self reliant. He had pointed out that our farmers not only produce enough food grains for citizens of India but for other countries in need. He said that the government has sanctioned 1,00,000 crore rupees for boosting  agriculture infrastructure even during the Corona pandemic. The duration of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund shall be for 10 years from this fiscal to 2029. Under the scheme, Rs. 1 Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans with interest subvention of 3% per annum and credit guarantee coverage for loans up to Rs. 2 Crore. The beneficiaries will include farmers, Marketing Cooperative Societies, Farmer producer Organisation FPOs, Self help groups SHGs, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies.

 

Agri officials with farmer in Manachanallur paddy field

Farmers need technology to survive with optimum use of water fertilizers and soil manure.  In Tamil Nadu,  System of Rice intensification is being successfully implemented by farmers with great success. The system of rice intensification is targeted to be expanded to 27.18 lakh acres in 2020-21 according to state government. With continuous water being released from Mettur Dam into Cauvery,   food grain production in Tamil Nadu is expected to rise and reach the target of 28 lakh metric tonne paddy procurement by September.  

Agriculture officials say that paddy nurseries had to be made and transplanted to the field for System of rice intensification. All expert and technological advise is given to the farmers in Tiruchirapalli according to Agri officials. They say that paddy nursery can be made in plastic sheet or used polythene gunny bags spread on the shallow raised bed to prevent roots growing deep into soil. When seedlings reach sufficient height for planting at 15 days, it has to be transplanted into the fields.

 

Manachanallur field System of rice intensification

 

In Tiruchirapalli, agriculture officials are directly visiting the fields even during covid 19 pandemic period and giving farmers agro technological help. Joint Director Agriculture Smt Shanthi inspected Kuruvai cultivation in Mannachanallur Vengangudi village. Team of agri officials including Assistant Director,  Agriculture  Shri Tagore, Agri officer Uma Maheswari,  Asst Agri officers Partheban, Baskar interacted with farmers to find out their problems. Assistant Director Pullambady Shri Mohan said that Rs 7 crore has been allotted for Trichy District under supplementary water management under PM Krishi Sinchayi scheme. This Scheme is well taken by Trichy district particularly by Pullambady  Block Farmers. He said that JD Agriculture inspected the agri activities in the block and advised officials to show good financial Progress under Supplementary water management Activity SWMA by adopting weekly workplan. She also inspected Kuruvai  paddy machine planting at Alambadi village in Trichy. Many farmers in Trichy blocks are following system of rice intensification which they say are beneficial and cost effective.

 

Paddy seedling mats transplanted

 

Farmers are toiling hard to ensure food security of the nation and government is implementing schemes to make livelihood of farmers secured.

(Release ID: 1646376) Visitor Counter : 751