Patna: Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has called for the wider adoption of integrated farming models developed for small and marginal farmers during a visit to the ICAR–Research Complex for Eastern Region (ICAR-RCER) in Patna.
Chouhan, accompanied by Bihar agriculture minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, inspected the institute’s one- and two-acre Integrated Farming System (IFS) models designed for farmers in eastern India.
Dr Anup Das, director of ICAR-RCER, and Dr Sanjeev Kumar, principal investigator of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Integrated Farming Systems and head of the Division of Crop Production, briefed the minister on the different components of the models.
Models combine crops, livestock and fisheries
The IFS models integrate field crops, horticulture, dairy, composite fish culture, duck and poultry farming to make more efficient use of farm resources while creating multiple sources of income.
The institute has also developed nano and micro homestead farming models for landless farmers. The models, spread across 125 sq metres and 250 sq metres respectively, combine nutrition gardens, fruit cultivation, goat rearing, poultry and mushroom production.
Chouhan praised the use of pond dykes for growing fruit crops including mango, banana, lemon and guava, as well as innovations such as vertical cultivation over water bodies, azolla production and vermicomposting.
He called for the models to be scaled up at farmers’ fields to reduce risks and strengthen livelihoods.
During the visit, the minister also planted a mango sapling at the institute.
Farmers report higher incomes
Farmers practising integrated farming systems interacted with Chouhan and shared their experiences.
According to the institute, farmers reported a three- to five-fold increase in farm income after adopting IFS models, which combine several agricultural activities rather than relying on a single crop or enterprise.
Push to take research to farmers
Earlier, Chouhan held a meeting with directors of various ICAR institutes, where he was welcomed by Dr Rajbir Singh, deputy director general (Extension).
The directors briefed the minister on their institutions’ achievements, future strategies and research collaborations.
Dr Anup Das highlighted ICAR-RCER’s work on integrated farming systems, rice-fallow management and crop diversification.
Chouhan stressed the need to move agricultural technologies developed through ICAR research to farmers more quickly.
He called for closer coordination between research institutions, extension agencies and farmers to speed up technology dissemination and increase the impact of agricultural research at the grassroots level.
Dr Ranjay Kumar Singh, additional director general (Extension), and Dr Bikas Das, director of the National Research Centre for Litchi, were also present.
