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National conference on natural farming held

Shillong, Dec 8: The NAAS Regional Chapter-Barapani, International Union of Organic Agriculture, Shillong and College of Agriculture, CAU, Kyrdemkulai, hosted the national conference on “Natural Farming Systems and Biodiversity Conservation under Changing Climate Scenario” at College of Agriculture, CAU from December 5 to 7.

The presence of eminent dignitaries, prominent team of scientists, scholars, students across the country and the regional farmers were notable during the  conference. The support was from eminent collaborators such as ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru; ICAR-RC for NEH Region, Umiam; NECTAR, Shillong; NABARD, Shillong; CPGS-AS, Umiam; ICAR-NRC (Pig), Guwahati and media partners.

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Papers on the subject were discussed during the conference for commendable recommendations and conclusion. The conference was praised for seven concurrent technical sessions, inaugural session, plenary session and 88 valedictory session. Each technical session was divided into 5 sub-sessions such as keynote lecture, lead lecture followed by discussion, oral and poster presentations. The three-day conference provided opportunities for the participants to interact with scientists, academicians, experts, scholars and farmers from all over the country..

As many as150 scientists and research scholars, 150 school and college students and 100 farmers participated in the event.

The conference was organised under the  guidance of Dr. T. Mohapatra, the president of NAAS and  former Secretary (DARE) and Ex-DG (ICAR) and Dr. M. Premjit Singh, the Ex Vice-Chancellor of Central Agricultural University, Imphal and with the initiative of the entire team led by Dr. U.K. Behera, the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Kyrdemkulai Central Agricultural University (Imphal), students of the college and farmers of the region. In the event, the participants, the farmers and students were exposed to practical demonstrations by taking them to the natural farming system modules established in the College Farm.

The chief guest Dr. S.K. Pattanayak, former union secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, inaugurated the conference, with other eminent dignitaries such as Dr. Jagadish Rane, Director, ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati, Pune, Maharashtra;  Dinesh Kulkarni, National Secretary, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, New Delhi.

Chairman, organising committee and Dean of the College Dr. U.K. Behera stressed the need of natural farming and conservation of biodiversity in the current scenario of changing climate.

In his address, he also emphasized the role of natural farming systems, their concept, importance, methodology and design to encourage the sustainable agriculture and to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture.

Dr. Jagadish Rane, Director, ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati, Pune highlighted the various strategies to be adapted for addressing abiotic stresses in crops under changing climatic conditions. During progress of the session Dr. S. N. Sushil, Director, ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru  dealt with the plant quarantine regulations to be followed in the India. He also emphasized the strengths and challenges of plant quarantine in India.

Dr. Sushil distributed various agricultural inputs such as poultry birds, farm machineries and vegetable seeds to around 100 farmers under the Tribal Sub-Plan supported by his institute ICAR-NBAIR, Bengaluru. During the events total six keynote lectures, 24 lead lectures, 47 oral presentations and 25 poster presentations were made.

A total 150 papers and extended summaries were published in the conference proceedings.

The valedictory address was of Dr. T. Mohapatra.

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