Bhubaneswar: Farmers should adopt improved varieties of crops to tackle climate change, flood and drought situations, pest and disease occurrence for higher production and food security, said ICARCIFA director Pramoda Kumar Sahoo during a special programme organised by ICARCentral Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Khurda (KVK) recently.
Around 127 farmers and farm women from two blocks of Khurda district, scientists and others participated in the event. The programme was held on the occasion of release of 109 high-yielding, climate-resilient and biofortified varieties of 61 crops, including 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops by PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Principal Scientist GS Saha informed farmers about the benefits of the new varieties of crops and urged them to gather information about them for different agroecological situations. On this occasion, the application of drones in aquaculture and awareness of the use of renewable energy (Solar dryer) was demonstrated to the farmers.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP