‘Kisan Melas play role in technology awareness drive’

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Vice-Chancellor Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, addressing the media at a press conference organised on Monday, said that Kisan Melas hold great importance in terms of new agrarian challenges and technology dissemination to the farming community. The present impetus is on productivity enhancement and agricultural sustainability, he stated, adding that the there is a need to create awareness among the farmers about the appropriate use of inputs, judicious use of pesticides and eradication of the obnoxious weed "parthenium" (congress grass).

The growing interest of the farmers in the PAU publications goes to the credit of the university, he highlighted. He said that the state development departments are approached for enhancing the circulation of PAU publications. The print order of Package of Practices (Kharif) will be enhanced from 12000 to 42000, said Dr Dhillon, adding that the content and quality of presentation of farm magazines, Changi Kheti and Progressive Farming, have been improved. Dr Dhillon stated that the PAU has taken many initiatives in administration, laid emphasis on improving education to develop better human resources and has re-oriented its programs to develop and disseminate research-based technologies.

"Streamlining the policy to distribute breeder and foundation seeds, putting Functionalisation of Food Industry Centre on fast track, planning the establishment of School of Environmental Studies, strengthening the linkages with the agro-based industries, planning of diploma courses for the rural youth with small holdings, strengthening of School of Energy Studies in Agriculture and deputing newly recruited scientists for working at research stations/seed farms/ agro-industrial units have been thrust areas of the university," said Dr Dhillon.

In research, the PAU focused on the paddy, wheat, cotton, and maize breeding programmes and their linkages with biotechnology. In paddy, the stress has been laid on the development of high yielding, early maturing and good grain quality, he remarked, disclosing that the PAU has developed two new experimental varieties of paddy which include RYT 3129 and RYT 3240. The varieties are being examined at the farmers' fields.

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