Virtual Annual Zonal Workshop - 2021 of ICAR-ATARI, Kolkata, Zone - V organized
6 - 7 July, 2021, Kolkata
The ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone - V, Kolkata, West Bengal virtually organized the “Annual Zonal Workshop for the KVKs of Zone - V spread across the states of Odisha & West Bengal and Union territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands” from 6th to 7th July, 2021.
The Chief Guest, Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR stated that the Incubation Centre by KVKs will help to disseminate the processing and value-addition of agricultural products across the country. The DDG stressed on sustainable / conservation agricultural practices by focussing on the organic farming, mutual farming and zero budget agriculture. Dr. Singh urged the KVKs for tapping the potentiality of indigenous breeds of cattle and forming a model of the same in 50 KVKs. He also opined the KVKs to maintain 4 to 5 demonstration models in the campus for more visibility to the farmers.
Prof. Chanchal Guha, Vice-Chancellor, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, West Bengal regarded the KVKs as the outreach arm of ICAR for growth and development in the COVID-19 Pandemic situation to maintain good human health, agriculture and economics.
Dr. Swarup Kumar Chakrabarti, Vice-Chancellor, Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal opined to have two KVKs in all Districts for expanding the KVKs’ activities.
Prof. B.S. Mahapatra, Vice-Chancellor, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, West Bengal regarded the KVKs as the backbone of agriculture in the country.
Dr. P.K. Agrawal, Vice-Chancellor, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha highlighted the roles being played by the KVKs in training 22,000 farmers.
Dr. Swami Atmapriyananda, Pro-Chancellor, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute, Howrah, West Bengal stressed on the indigenous farming technologies with organic farming blended with chemicals.
In his valedictory address, Dr. R. Singh, ADG (Agricultural Extension), ICAR stressed on developing the Question Banks from the feedbacks by the farmers, understanding the agro-ecological problems faced by the farmers and their solutions, maintaining the same in a database, ODOP and diversification of horticulture, etc.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. S.K. Roy, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Kolkata outlined an overview of the salient achievements of the Zone and the involvement of ICAR-ATARI, Kolkata and 59 KVKs in the various flagship programmes.
(Source: ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone - V, Kolkata, West Bengal)
