Distribution-cum-awareness programme on nutrient and water management in coconut for tribal farmers of Canacona taluka under scheduled tribe component (STC)

        A distribution-cum-awareness program on nutrient and water management in coconut was organized by ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa, for tribal farmers of the village- Bhupar and Badsare of Canacona taluka of South Goa on 03^rd September 2020. The programme was undertaken as a part of two projects – ‘Site specific nutrient management in different crops for improved crop productivity and income of tribal farmers of Goa’ and ‘Soil and water conservation interventions for improving crop productivity and income of tribal farmers of Goa’. Three selected beneficiary farmers groups - one from Bhupar and two from Badsare attended the programme. The objective of the projects is to improve the livelihood security of the tribal farmers through interventions on water and nutrient management in coconut. The farmers received soil health cards and organic and inorganic fertilizer inputs based on soil testing for the nutrient management related interventions. While the water management interventions included rainwater harvesting ponds along with the gravity based drip and fertigation system and this included accessories like silpaulin sheets, pipelines and drip irrigation materials. These interventions are intended to improve the productivity of the coconut crop and the project has plans to diversify the cropping pattern to improve the livelihood of the beneficiary farmers. The program was undertaken keeping in view all safety measures for COVID-19. The beneficiary farmers also received face masks and Institute made hand sanitizer (prepared as per WHO guidelines) as a preventive measure. Dr. Gopal Ramdas Mahajan, Scientist Sr. Scale (Soil Science) and Dr. Sujeet Desai, Scientist (LWME) were Coordinators for the awareness programme.