19 August 2026, Vijayawada
A two-day training-cum-awareness programme on “Productivity Improvement in Horticultural Crops through Pollinator and Biodiversity Flower Kits” was organized by the Department of Horticulture, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Krishna District, in collaboration with the ICAR–Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune, at Atkur, Vijayawada, on 18 and 19 August 2026.
The programme aimed to sensitize farmers practising natural farming about the importance of pollinators, beneficial insects and flowering plants in enhancing biodiversity and supporting productivity in horticultural cropping systems. Farmers were informed about the role of floral resources in providing food and habitat to pollinators and other beneficial insects, and their potential contribution to ecological balance and natural pest regulation in natural farming systems.
As part of the programme, 223 Pollinator Habitat Restoration Kits were distributed among farmers practising natural farming across a range of horticultural crops, including vegetables, fruit crops, oil palm and coconut. The kits are intended to facilitate the establishment of flowering resources within and around agricultural fields, thereby supporting pollinators and other beneficial organisms and contributing to biodiversity enhancement.
The programme also included field visits to natural farming fields, providing an opportunity for direct interaction with farmers and assessment of existing biodiversity and habitat conditions. During the field visits, discussions were held with farmers regarding the integration of flowering plants into their existing cropping systems. A plan was also initiated for systematic assessment of biodiversity status in selected natural farming areas to understand the contribution of habitat enhancement measures to beneficial insect diversity and ecological functions.
The initiative represents a collaborative effort towards strengthening biodiversity-based approaches in natural farming and promoting pollinator-friendly horticultural production systems through farmer awareness, habitat restoration and field-level biodiversity assessment.
(Source: ICAR–Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune)
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