Vikasit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan: ICAR-IISWC के वैज्ञानिकों को किसानों ने बताईं समस्याएं

Vikasit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan: ICAR-IISWC Scientists Provide Targeted Solutions on Day 11

Dehradun, June 8, 2025 – The ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (ICAR-IISWC), Dehradun, continued its efforts under the Vikasit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA)-2025, actively addressing farmers’ concerns. On the 11th day of the campaign, scientific teams visited 24 villages, where they assessed challenges faced by farmers in Kharif crop management and provided location-specific advice on the spot.

Key Challenges Faced by Farmers:

Sugarcane Cultivation Issues:

• In Doiwala block, farmers reported severe irrigation problems due to domestic and plastic pollution in the Suswa river.

• Despite water treatment plants, poor water quality remains a concern.

• Delay in price declaration and payment by sugar factories is another major issue.

• Yellowing of sugarcane leaves was observed, attributed to yellow leaf virus, micronutrient deficiency, and water stress.

Environmental Concerns:

• Dust pollution from nearby sand mining activities is affecting overall crop productivity.

Animal Husbandry Problems:

• Farmers highlighted low milk production, difficulties in artificial insemination, and poor support from agencies.

• These issues have also contributed to the rising number of stray cattle.

• There’s a growing need to promote poultry, goat rearing, and fish farming in the region.

Agricultural Inputs & Regulatory Oversight:

• Farmers expressed concern about financial losses due to unauthentic and unreliable suppliers of plants and agrochemicals.

• They urged for urgent regulatory intervention by government agencies.

General Agricultural Issues:

• Common issues reported included:

  • Crop damage by wild animals

  • Inadequate irrigation infrastructure

  • Unreliable availability of quality inputs

  • Limited crop diversification

  • Weed infestation in rice and sugarcane

  • Pest and disease outbreaks in maize, paddy, urad, tomato, ginger, and colocasia.

  • Difficulties in marketing produce

  • Lack of institutional support for soil health management and agricultural sustainability.

Shared Solutions and Technical Support:

To address these challenges, the scientific teams provided:

• Crop-specific programs

• Integrated pest and disease management strategies

• Feed and veterinary recommendations for livestock

They also shared contact points for ongoing technical support and sensitized village heads, progressive farmers, and local youth about the campaign’s objectives and the potential of scientific farming to enhance food security and livelihoods.

Village Outreach and Leadership:

Seven expert teams were led by senior scientists including:

• Dr. M. Muruganandam

• Dr. D.V. Singh

• Dr. Banke Bihari

• Engineer S.S. Shrimali

• Dr. Vibha Singhal

• Dr. Sridhar Patra

• Dr. Anupam Behar

They visited villages across Sahaspur, Raipur, Vikasnagar, Bahadrabad, Bhagwanpur, and Doiwala blocks.

Dr. M. Muruganandam and his team played a key role in disseminating issue-specific advisories and documenting outreach efforts through daily updates, helping spread campaign benefits across the wider farming community.

On this day alone, detailed Kharif crop advice and technical support were provided to 745 farmers, with awareness raised about government schemes and development programs.