ICAR-CCARI, Goa organized interface meeting with Goa Bagayatdar Sahkari Vikri Kharedi Society

        A one-day meeting for discussion on ‘Challenges faced in Horticulture/Agriculture in Goa owing to constant climate changes with a specific focus on cashew cultivation’ was organized by ICAR-CCARI, Goa on 28-02-2023 for the Goa Bagayatdar Sahkari Vikri Kharedi Society (GBSVKS), Goa. Chairman of GBSVKS, Adv. Shri Narendra Keshav Sawaikar, Chairman, Managing Director and Board of Directors of GBSVKS, Director and Scientist of ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa and Senior Scientist and Head, and Subject Matter Specialist, KVK, North Goa attended the programme. Goa Bagayatdar envisaged that there are perceptible changes in the marketing of cashew and climate change in one important noticeable factor. Consequent to a request by Goa Bagayatdar for discussion on the topic, the Institute organized a meeting to deliberate on it. Dr. Parveen Kumar, Director, ICAR-CCARI highlighted upon the productivity gaps in the major crops of the State of Goa and explained the reasons for low productivity. He further ensured whole-hearted support and technology backstopping for the problems that are faced by the farmers and raised by GBSVKS. Adv. Narendra Keshav Savaikar, Chairman, GBSVKS raised several problems faced by a farmer of Goa due to climate change and urged to provide technological backstopping. He also ensured to disseminate the technical input to farmers through Goa Bagayatdar. Dr. A. R. Desai, Principal scientist (Horticulture) delivered a presentation on ‘Horticulture /cashew cultivation in Goa’. He presented in detail the strategies for climate-resilient cashew cultivation in the State of Goa and the technologies that are developed by the Institute. Dr. Bappa Das, Scientist (Agriculture Meteorology) delivered a presentation on ‘Impact of climate change on Agriculture’. He deliberated on the technologies like integrated farming systems, rainwater harvesting, soil and water conservation, and climate-smart varieties, etc. that are developed by the Institute and available for further dissemination. The Board of Directors and officials of GBSVKS raised queries for discussion of the topic and technical experts from ICAR-CCARI responded to it. “Such a stakeholders meeting is indicative and suggestive for potential research areas that could be certainly taken up as a research programmes in the future”, Director said. The Programme was coordinated and compered by Sh. Rahul M. Kulkarni, ACTO.