AGRICULTURE IN ASSAM

Assam Agricultural University has been receiving support from Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY), since 2008-09. A brief description of the activities approved and executed has been presented year wise hereunder:

Year: 2008-09, Fund allocation: 10.00 crores

1.      Establishment of Model Integrated Farms at KVKs

For establishment of model integrated farming system in six kvks viz., KVK, Jorhat, KarbiAnglong, Nagaon, Kamrup, Barpeta and Kokrajhar were taken up . In these selected KVKs, established 2 units of Dairy, 6 units of poultry, 3 units of pig gery, 6 numbers of Display and demonstration units, 6 units of composting units, 3 units of Mushroom Production units, Boundary fencing in two KVKs, Provisioning of Farm Electrification and water supply completed in six KVKs, 5 units of Composite Fish farming, 4 units of Rice-Fish- Vegetable farming and 3 units of Goatery. The demonstration units are running well.

 

 

2.      Strengthening the AAU farms for seed/planting material production

Under this component, infrastructure like seed store, threshing floor, covered threshing floor have been done in four selected farms including AAU head quarter (Instructional Cum Research  Farm and Experimental Farm , Horticulturae)viz. , RARS, Titabar, BNCA and  RARS, Gossaigaon. Boundary wall and fencing for farm protection has been completed in the selected farms along with farm electrification, irrigation facilities and land development. All the four farms have been provided with required farm machineries like power tiller, transplanter, cultivator, thresher including small tools.

Status of seed production has been showing the increasing trend. The seed production during 2008-09 in the University was 171.5 ton of all the three types of seed viz., Breeders, Foundation and Certified for field crops. During 2009-10, it was recorded as 221.5 ton and 331.5 ton in 2010-11.

Seed production at AAU Farms  Boundary wall at Hort. Farm, Jorhat

 

 

Year: 2009-10, Fund allocation : Rs.5.00 crores

 

1.      Establishment of Model Integrated Farms at KVKs

This component was continued for the year 2009-10 also. This year three KVKs viz., KVK, Lakhimpur, Karimganj and Sivsagar were included. Under this, established 3 units of Dairy, 1 unit of piggery, 1 unit of Goatery  3 numbers of Display and demonstration units , 3units of composting units, 3 units of Mushroom Production units, Boundary fencing in 3 KVKs, Provisioning of Farm Electrification and  water supply completed in three  KVKs, 2 units of Composite Fish farming, 1units of Rice-Fish- Vegetable  farming . On campus training programme on Integrated farming system with different demonstration units for practicing farmers, educated rural youth and farm women are being conducted and demonstration units are running wel.

 

 Poultry shed

 

 

 

2.  Strengthening the AAU farms for seed/planting material production

 

Farm machineries like power tiller, transplanter, cultivator, thresher including small tools in the selected farms viz., RARS, Lakhimpur, RARS, Karimganj and HRS, Kahikuchi (Kharua) were procured .

Infrastructure like seed store, threshing floor, covered threshing floor have been done in these selected farms. Boundary wall and fencing for farm protection has been completed in the selected farms along with farm electrification, irrigation facilities and land development.

Year: 2010-2011, Fund allocation: Rs. 13.00 crores

1. Project Name: Large scale propagation of seeds and planting materials of horticultural crops under protected cultivation at Experimental Farm (Horticulture) AAU, Jorhat, BNCA, AAU, Biswanath Chariali

HRS, AAU,Kahikuchi. Created of facilities for protected cultivation like Poly house nursery, High tech poly house including micro-irrigation system for production of seed and planting materials for high value vegetables, fruits and vegetables.

 

2. Project Name: Strengthening Soil and Water testing laboratories

Five soil and water testing laboratories in different parts of the state, viz., RARS, Gossaigaon, Karimganj, Shillongani, Lakhimpur and Titabar to take care of short, medium and long term need of monitoring soil health and water-use scenario for perspective land use planning have been strengthened. Activities are on .  With this facility, the capacity of analyzing soil and water sample from the present status is expected to increase .Soil Health Card for at least thousand farmers in each station per annum would be possible.

 

 

3. Project Name: Production of organic inputs viz. bio-fertilizers, bio-petsicides vermicompost, azolla etc in 10 centres .throughout the state .  Under this component Civil works for construction of Composting unit, vermi-composting unit and  azolla tank etc in 10 KVKs viz., Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Nalbari,Sonitpur,   Nagaon, Tinsukia Golaghat  , Dibrugarh, Chirang and Jorhat have been done along with purchase of Laboratory Equipments like BOD incubator, laminar Flow, Autoclave, Rotary shaker, Shealing machine etc  and Glass wares and chemicals . All the centres have started producing organic inputs.

 

4. Project Name: Cropping Intensity and productivity increase through technology injection for widening the scope of seed production. Under this component Technology Showcasing in Farmers field through KVKs/RARS of AAU in 11 districts covering 1100 ha area with two crop sequence with Sali paddy as first crop and participatory seed production in PPP mode with active cooperation of the state department of Agriculture where  Supply of critical inputs like seed, fertilizers, cost of certification bagging , registration ,  organizing Filed days, etc were done. Altogether , 1928 numbers of Farmers were involved and produced 6000 MT of certified seed of paddy (Variety Ranjit)and 900 q of toria Vriety (TS-36/38).

 

 

 

5. Project Name: Development of Model Integrated Farming System at LRS, Mandira

            This component included development and adoption of IFM for bio-resource flow within the farm enterprise through resource utilization and enhanced farm income. Capacity building of farmers through training in all the allied sector of agriculture viz., crop enterprise, fishery and animal sector. Under this, demonstration cum production units of dairy, poultry, piggery , Rice – cum- fish, bio-pesticide unit and seed production facilities were done at LRS Mandira.

 

6. Project Name: Macro and micro monitoring of weather for developing crop/animal crisis fore warning model .

In this component , Installation of Automatic Weather Station at 21 different stations was done. Authenticated data on weather pattern as influence by climate change for short, medium and long term planning of crop calendar eco-zone wise/district wise.

 

 

The functioning of these Automatic Weather Stations has been started and running well.

 

7. Project Name: Information Kiosk and Development of E-villages

            Here, Development of Kiosk system and e-village at five different places of the university including ATIC, AAU, Jorhat viz., KVK, Nalbari, Kamrup , Sivsagar and Jorhat. It provides Orientation of the farmers on use information and communication technology and establishment e-villages for promotion of agriculture. Farmer’s access to the two-way communication system for retrieving required details related to technological know-how, market intelligence, weather forecasting, crop husbandry etc.

 

8. Project Name: Performance testing of crossbred goats at Farmers Field

 In this component, beetle breed of goat at farmer’s field as breeding bucks were  introduced.  It has resulted  in making awareness among the famers about the benefit of cross bred goat. Motivation and adoption of goatery as a source of better livelihood.

 

9. Project Name: Poultry Seed Production Unit with   Hatchery

In this component, Establishment of a poultry seed production unit has been done. Farmers/ self help groups/ entrepreneurs will get quality poultry chick of improved variety.

10. Project Name: Production of Improved quality semen through improvement of infrastructure facilities at. Khanapara centre

Here, Infrastructure for production and storage superior quality frozen bull semen has been made. It enables to imparting appropriate and scientific training on frozen semen technology  for higher milk production and increased profit for dairy enterprise.

YEAR: 2011-12 Fund allocation: Rs.10.50 Crores

 

Component 1. Provisioning of livelihood security in sand and silt deposited areas of Assam

The project will generate village level information on the sand/silt deposition problem  in four districts viz., Lakhimpur, Dhemaj, Kamrup and Nalbari and will reveal restoration requirements that can be addressed locally. This will also help the planners and administrators to monitor and control all the developmental activities in future. The works are going  on.

Component 2. Production of true potato seeds (TPS) under net-house

The project is aimed at producing the TPS which is completely free from seed borne diseases and pest that are prevalent in vegetatively propagated seed tuber material in two centres of AAU viz. BNCA and KVK, Jorhat. The works are on.

Component 3. Cropping intensity and productivity increase through technology injection for widening the scope of seed production

This component on Technology Showcasing in Farmers field through KVKs/RARS of AAU has benn continued for second year in 11 districts covering 1200 ha area with two crop sequence with Sali paddy as first crop and participatory seed production in PPP mode with active cooperation of the state department of Agriculture where  Supply of critical inputs like seed, fertilizers, cost of certification bagging , registration ,  organizing Filed days, etc were done. Here, produced 6250 MT of certified seed of paddy (Variety Ranjit, Mahsuri ),  280 MT of toria Vriety (TS-36/38) and 1290 q of Lentil (Variety-Noorie.)

 

Component 4.Enhancing research competitiveness in Regional Research stations of AAU (4)

In this component, infrastructures development have been carried out in four stations viz., RARS, Shillongani, Diphu, Buralikshon and HRS, Kahikuchi .

Component 5. Strengthening Capacity Building Programmes in KVKs

This component was continued for the year 2011-12 also. This year three KVKs viz., KVK, Sonitpur,Golaghat and Nalbari were included. The works have been completed and started functioning with different units.

Component 6. Sustainable bio-resource utilization through multi nutrient feed blocks.

Present project proposal is to formulate a multinutrient- rich complete feed block for the livestock sector for onward distribution to the green deficit areas in the state. The works are on.

Component7. Development of sustainable Animal Husbandry, pisiculture and agro-horticulture at LRS, Mandira

This will enable to develop a model instructional buffalo farm of high yielding Surti / Murrah breed for milk production and to   distribution of calves to progressive farmers/ entrepreneurs of the region,  on farm validation and transfer of proven technologies and to  develop a fodder seed   and fodder saplings for the benefit of the livestock farmers of the region.

 

Component 8. Strengthening veterinary clinics at C. VSc

This will help to cope up the increasing number of clinical cases presented in the Clinics and to take up therapeutic measures in time used of modern equipments for analysis of clinical samples and diagnosis of animal diseases at CVSc, Khanapara.  The works are on.

Component9.Technology showcasing of Fisheries

Three tier system of integrated poultry-pig-fish farming is a proven technology for sustainable production of multi commodities from unit area through recycling of bio waste. Hence it is aimed  to show case the technology in selected potential areas of three district of Assam viz. Jorhat, Sivasagar and Golaghat under RKVY project . Accordingly, farmers in all the three selected districts and activities are going on.

Component10.Advanced breeding of carps for fish seed production through enhancement of   environmental temperature by using UV stabilized LDPE film. 

The project is aimed at advanced breeding of carps through enhancement of environmental temperature under poly house to ensure availability of quality fish seed at the right time of stocking (March - April) for the fish farmers of Assam. This work has been taken up at Fishery Research Centre, AAU, Jorhat and has been completed and start functioning.

 

 

YEAR: 2012-13 Fund allocation: Rs.13.13 Crores

 

Component 1.  A. seed production

This component on seed production through Technology Showcasing in Farmers field has been continued for third year  in 14 districts covering 1385 ha area with two crop sequence with Sali paddy as first crop and participatory seed production in PPP mode with active cooperation of the state department of Agriculture where Supply of critical inputs like seed, fertilizers, cost of certification bagging , registration ,  organizing Filed days, etc were done. Here, 60000 q of certified seed of paddy (Variety Ranjit, Mahsuri ),  3200 q of toria Variety (TS-36/38) were produced.

 

Component 1. b Establishment of model nursery

In this component, Establishment of model nurseries in 10 KVKs of AAU have been taken up for increasing the productivity and production horticultural crop through adoption of quality planting material of these crops. Sufficient quantity would be generated by establishment of model nursery maintaining a Mother Block in each nursery in different zones and works are in progress.

Component   2. Enhancing research competitiveness in Research Stations of AAU & KVKs

Under this component, infrastructures development at CRS, Tinsukia, Instructional cum Research Farm and Experimental Farm (Horticulture )and   establishment of Plant Health Clinic at AAU, Jorhat and creation of seed storage facilities in 15 KVKs have been under taken. Quality seed production in KVKs own farms and also through participatory mode needs the storage facility in all kvks for maintenance of the stocks in safe condition to cater the needs of the district. Keeping this in view development of a storage facility in 15  kvks of Assam Agricultural  University viz., KVK, Dibrugarah, Tinsukia, Sivsagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Nalbari, Kamrup, Kokrajhar, Barpeta , Cachar, Chirang and Karimganj has been included.

In this regard, Procurement of necessary Non Recurring items has been done and construction works in selected KVKs are going on.

Component  3. Establishment Fertigation units in AAU Farms for high value horticultural crops

Establishment of four fertigation units at CRS, Tinsukia, BNCA, AAU, Jorhat and HRS, Kahikuchi has been taken up for  development and standardization of seed production technology of vegetables crops under different protected conditions and open field conditions under drip fertigation system. When applying fertilizers through a Fertigation system, applications can be targeted to specific areas, less equipment is used and fertilizer can be applied at a lower rate and become more efficient and inexpensive to suit the exact needs of the plant.

In this regard, procurement of  NRC items done and other related works are going on.

 

Component 4. Strengthening of AAUs capacity to produce and validate screened farm tools

Farming system in Assam predominantly consists of small and scattered holdings. Per capita availability of land in Assam is less than 1 ha. Nearly 83 % of the Assamese farmers belong to small and marginal category. Therefore, introduction of large machinery may not be suitable unless these are provided to farmers on custom hiring or community basis.

AAU, Jorhat has  developed different implements viz.,  Animal drawn MB plough, Bullock drawn puddler, Bullock drawn disc harrow, 3-Tyne cultivator under AICRP on UAE and most of the implements were tested in different projects like AICRP on FIM and other crop based projects in different locations. This component aims at producing farm tools under different groups i.e. Tillage & land preparation implements, Sowing/transplanting, Inter Cultural  operation and Threshing  through modernization of the AAU  workshop.

Regarding status of work, procurement of NRC items like Computer Numerically Controlled Laser metal cutting machine, CNC Milling machine,  C NC Shaping machine, Multi Spindle drilling machine, Power Press, Jigs and fixtures etc  has been done and other elated works are going on.

 

Component 5. CO₂ tapping from paddy field and its conversion to O₂ using azolla tank

This component is aimed at development of azolla based CO₂ cleaning Technology at AAU, Jorhat   to eliminate the use of artificial nitrogeneous and to give better room to Azolla for fixing up maximum nitrogen and maintain the future nutritional status of the soil and crop quality, to measure the reception capacity of Azolla species by increasing the carbon pool below and above the rice ecosystem in both controlled and simulated condition to measure the cleaning potential of Azolla in converting CO₂ to O₂ and also to  improve the soil health for sustainable management of rice ecosystem through carbon management in the present day climate change scenario.

 

Regarding progress of the component, necessary civil works completed, pprocurement of  NRC items done, instruments installed and works have been  initiated .

Component 6.. Building farmers’ capacity with rice landraces to face the challenges of flood and drought

In this project, the rice landraces from the flood- and drought- prone environments spread across the Brahmputra Valley of Assam are being pooled and evaluated, along with the available improved varieties, in the respective situations across locations with the participation of the farmers. This wil give documentation of the rice landraces and farmers’ knowledge and practice systems in the flood- and drought-prone ecosystems. It will also result in empowering the farmers’ with wider choices of rice varieties to cope with the challenges of flood and drought.

 

So far 60 upland rice varieties have been evaluated for root characteristics and other parameters and about 50 more such varieties have been collected from farmers’ field for evaluation.

 

 

Component 7. Procurement of Progeny Tested Bulls for Improved Semen   Collection

This component was undertaken for production of superior quality semen from bull at AAU, khanapara through procurement of Progeny Tested Bulls. It is expected that successful execution of the project will lead to fulfillment of   the ever increasing demand of superior quality semen from bull and also a self sustaining revenue earning proposition for Assam Agricultural University. The works are going on.

 

Component 8.Creation of Bio- medical waste management facility in the Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex   and Animal waste management at Farm Complex, CVSc, Khanapara, Guwahati

Creation of a recycling mechanism of farm wastes and animal waste at Farm Complex, CVSc, Khanapara, Guwahati has been  taken up under this component and works going on.

 

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