In the field of cultivation, Once again women of Patacharkuchi’s Bezkuchi village shine in potato cultivation and proved that ‘Women are not less than men’.
They cultivated potato by zero tillage method of cultivation and came out successful. The teams of farmers including male of the village are very happy to harvest the new variety of potato.
‘The Zero tillage technique potato is shown immediately after harvest of Sali paddy without traditional soil preparation by tilling land like normal potato cultivation. ‘Zero tillage technique is climate resilient latest technology introduced and standardized through the knowledge pattern and technical support of the International potato centre (CIP) and is gaining high popularity among potato farmers. Potato seeds showed in a specific distance in the land surface after harvest of Sali paddy and the potato seed is covered by paddy straw as mulching material .
This cultivation have low cost and comparatively low labours cost as well harvesting. Said Dr. Minsura Begum, District Horticulture Coordinator, Assam Agribusiness and Rural transformation project (APART).She was present along with Hirendra Nath Sarma Block Technology Manager, Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). at bezkuchi village during harvesting. The Farmers also cultivated Partial root drying method and Lady Rosetta potato successfully. The potato is red in colours and is specially used to make chips. ‘The project was world bank funded one and as a part of demonstration three farmers having about two bighas of land area each cultivated potato as a part of demonstration programmme to gain popularity of such types and varieties of cultivation of potato which have high productivity and easy to cultivate and as well as to harvest said Hirendra Nath Sarma Block Technology manager, Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA).ATMA becomes integral part of the agriculture.
It is learnt that implementing agency of APART at district is district agriculture office and in state Directorate of Agriculture and Horticulture. ‘In the project International potato centre(CIP) gives knowledge pattern and ATMA doing the project while district Agriculture office implementing the project and in Block level ATMA also working for popularizing as well as field level support. The entire project is coordinating and monitoring by ARIAS (Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services’ said Dr. Minsura Begum. The project will continue till 2025. Riju Mani Deka, a successful cultivator of the village and wife of youth cultivator Sunil Deka for the first time cultivated zero tillage potato with Kufri surya verities in her paddy field and the result bring smile to their lips. People of the locality visited her agriculture field and surprised at her job. Another farmer Sunil Deka whose profession is purely a farmer .He cultivated Lady Rosetta potato in his about two bighas of land area and he also surprised at the result. The size of the potato is very big and weight per potato is 200 gram to 400 gram. Chittaranjan Deka also benefited from such types of cultivation. In the demonstration all aids, pesticides, spray machine, simple land preparation training and seeds were supplied to the farmer in free of cost. is also informed that in Barpeta district under APART altogether 60 demonstrations is being done which included 42 processing variety and 18 table variety in Bajali block there is all together 9 demonstrations of potato cultivation verities of Lady Rosetta and Kufri Surya . The farmers are jubilant after successfully cultivated the potato.
Times of Northeast
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