Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Share expertise at field level, Collector tells model farmers

Staff Reporter

`Use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides affecting health'

FERTILE IDEAS: District Collector D. Kadmiel inaugurating the training classes for model farmers at Reddypalli in Anantapur on Monday.

ANANTAPUR: Model farmers (`aadarsha rythulu') were expected to act as coordinators between the farming community and the Agriculture Department and create awareness on modern farming practices among farmers, District Collector D. Kadmiel said at Reddypalli near here on Monday.

Inaugurating the training classes for the newly selected model farmers at Krishi Vignana Kendra, he said they would be trained in agriculture practices as well as allied activities like horticulture, animal husbandry, dairy farming, sericulture, electricity, marketing, bank loans and others with the officials concerned.

The first batch of 103 model farmers belonged to Anantapur, Atmakur and Singanamala mandals. The achievements and inventions in farming practices in the laboratories would be useful only if they were taken to the farmers. The model farmers would take the responsibility of taking the developments to the farmers, he said.

He asked the model farmers to acquire knowledge about the high yield, short duration crops and those cultivated in the irrigated dry method and share it with farmers in the field level. The State was dependent on other States for its irrigation needs and the situation in future could demand higher saving of water, he noted.

The model farmers should also learn about the farming techniques involving lesser investment and higher returns and also encourage their brethren for use of organic manure instead of chemical fertilizers. Use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides was also having impact on the quality of crop and on human health, he said.

They should be proactive in taking the problems of farmers in the field level to the notice of officials and exchanging it with necessary advice. Joint Director of Agriculture P. Pothaiah, Project Director of DWMA E.N. Srinivasulu, Assistant Director of Horticulture Y. Vidyashankar, Assistant Director of Agriculture G. Jonathan and others also gave tips to model farmers.

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