With the joint efforts of field functionaries of Agriculture Department and local panchayats of Ramgarh Block, many farmers of the area have been convinced to purchase and use Direct Seeding of Rice Machines to save labour by direct sowing of paddy crop without laying nurseries.
One such occasion has been kick started by the Director Agriculture Jammu, Inder Jeet, at village Khour Salarian of Ramgarh, Samba where mechanized sowing of paddy by Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) Technique demonstrated in presence of Subject Matter Specialist (RL), Vijay Kumar Koushal, CAO Samba, Sanjay Verma, DAO Samba, Satish Sharma, SDAO Samba, Tilak Raj, Agriculture Engineer, Brij Rana, AEO Ramghar, Ajeet Singh, other field functionaries besides BDC Chairman, Ramghar, Darshan Singh, Sarpanches, Panches and progressive farmers of the area.
Block Development Council Chairman, Darshan Singh welcomed the Director and other officers of the Department and appreciated the role Department being played in economic upliftment of farmers. He demanded involvement of Panchayat Raj Institutions in all schemes and programmes of the Department and more transparency in selection of beneficiaries.
Speaking on the occasion, the Director said that DSR technique is the best possible solution to the current situation that has arisen due to COVID-19 and lock down announced thereafter by the administration. He disclosed that direct sowing of paddy seed using Direct Paddy Seeder (DSR) machine which is cost effective, reduces water requirement upto 40% and seed requirement by 30 %besides minimizing requirement needed for nursery raising and paddy transplantation. He further added that the department is working tirelessly to ensure the availability of DSR machines, Paddy drum seeders, laser Land Levellers to facilitate the farmers in sowing of paddy crops in present circumstances. It was informed that 20 DSR machines have been actually provided to the farmers of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts on subsidy till date and the farmers are being encouraged to bring maximum area under DSR demonstration.
Meanwhile, the Director also visited Arnia and R.S.Pura where he toured the fields of progressive farmer Rajinder Sharma and Ravinder Singh who have sown winter maize in their land that remained fallow during Rabi season due to excessive unseasonal rains .He appreciated the innovative effort of these two farmers and instructed the agriculture staff to popularize diversification of maize as such innovations are crucial to raise the income level of farmers.
Later, the Director visited seed multiplication Farm Chakroi where he took a detailed meeting to review the functioning of seed multiplication farm in which Joint Director Agriculture Input, Farm Manager Chakroi and other staff of the farm was present. The officers were directed to bring the entire land of the farm under cultivation during Kharif season. The undulating land of the farm and all the machinery and equipment available in the farm are made functional so that the production and productivity of the farm is enhanced to the desired level.