Field Day at Gaodongari village and Farmers-Scientists Interaction under Scheduled Tribe Component at Canacona

 

    A team of scientists comprising Dr. A. R. Desai (Principal Scientist & Section-in-charge, Horticulture), Dr. Sujeet Desai (Scientist, Land and Water Management Engineering), Dr. Uthappa A. R. (Scientist, Agroforestry), Dr. Shripad Bhat (Scientist, Agril. Economics), Dr. Ganesh Vasudeo Chaudhari (Scientist, Vegetable Science) and Dr. Paramesha V. (Scientist, Agronomy & STC Coordinator), visited FLD plots at Ziltawadi and Satorlim in Gaondongrim Panchayat, Canacona and organised a Field Day on 30-06-2021 for an active Farmers-Scientists Interaction under the Scheduled Tribe Component (STC). In this Field day, all the scientists and the ST farmers of SHGs went around FLD plots on cashew production technology and productivity enhancement in coconut based cropping system, reviewed progress of the activities and discussed further action plans. The team witnessed the satisfactory establishment of Cashew grafts and intercrops viz., tuber crops, black pepper, etc. and ascertained the benefits accrued under the programme. Farmers expressed satisfaction about the technological interventions and thus informed about enhanced the income of all the group members especially through additional yield of intercrops like Finger millet, tuber crops in the previous seasons. They also expressed the increased yield in Coconut resulting in increased income. Impact of technological interventions through the farm-machineries provided to the groups was very evident in increased labour efficiency and savings in costs due to these interventions. Discussions were held on deciding the interventions in these farms for the upcoming kharif and rabi seasons. After taking into account the prevailing conditions and the problems faced by the farmers, the scientists’ team designed the interventions for future action plan involving planting of Arka Meghana chilli, improved varieties of bamboo in the borders and black pepper in coconut garden in the current season (Kharif); Mung bean, Cowpea, Sweet-Corn, and introduction of fish-culture component in the rabi season.

    The above scientists’ team also visited the new FLD plot on cashew initiated from this year at Cotigao village. Under STC programme, ‘Mahadev Self-help group, Cotigao’ is provided with grafts of improved Cashew varieties for FLD programme in their community-owned-land through the Sarpanch of Cotigaon village panchayat. The team demonstrated planting of the grafts (Goa Cashew 1 to Goa Cashew 4 and other promising accessions) in this FLD and discussed with farmers on the suitable interventions for the existing conditions.

    Besides the above, the team visited the field at Badsare village where interventions on rain water harvesting were undertaken by establishing a silpaulin polyfilm lined water harvesting pond and a farmers-scientists interaction was held for further action plans in current and rabi season.