Participants from Nagaland with Nodal Officers, Dr. D.P.Patel (1st left) and Dr. Anup Chandra (2nd left), touring farms at IIPR, Kanpur.
Kohima, March 3 (MExN): A 10-member team of farmers and scholars from Nagaland attended a three-day Farmers’ Exposure Visit-cum-Field Training Programme at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur, from February 24 to 26.
The team, representing five districts, included three farmers from Peren, two from Kohima, and one each from Phek, Mon and Mokokchung, along with two PhD scholars from the Department of Botany, Kohima Science College (Autonomous), Jotsoma.
The programme was organised by the Department of Botany, KSCJ, under the guidance of Dr Samadangla Ao, and sponsored by IIPR under the “Promotion of Pulses in Northeast Hill Region–Nagaland” initiative, informed a press release.
At Kanpur, participants toured research farms cultivating chickpea, lentil, field pea, pigeon pea and rajma under varied experimental conditions. Scientists explained crop improvement programmes, varietal testing, disease and pest resistance, drought tolerance and cropping systems.
Six scientists delivered technical sessions on improved varieties of chickpea, pigeon pea and field pea, management of rabi pulse diseases and pests, and opportunities for chickpea-based start-ups.
The team also interacted with IIPR Director, G.P. Dixit, and shared a report on chickpea production in Nagaland, discussing the prospects and challenges of rabi pulse cultivation in the state.
The delegation further visited the institute’s Agri-Engineering Division and Agri-Business Incubation Centre, where advanced farm machinery, drones and start-up products were demonstrated.
The exposure visit concluded with a tour of the Taj Mahal in Agra. Officials said the programme enhanced participants’ understanding of rabi pulses and improved management practices, aimed at strengthening pulse cultivation in Nagaland.
