The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : NFSM: productivity potential high

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Monday, Feb 04, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

NFSM: productivity potential high

S. Harpal Singh

Centrally-sponsored scheme under implementation in Adilabad district will last till end of 11th Plan

LusH green: A freshly transplanted paddy field near Nirmal in Adilabad district.

ADILABAD: The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) being implemented in Adilabad district for increased production and productivity in rice and pulses could not have come at a better time given the conditions here.

Positive interventions designed for achieving objectives of the Mission should herald prosperity for farmers in the next few years, if things go as planned.

The Centrally-sponsored NFSM will last until 2011-12 when the 11th Plan ends. The Mission envisages increase of productivity for rice from the present 3,000 kg per hectare to 4,000 kg per hectare.

For pulses, the productivity is targeted to be doubled from 800 kg to 1,600 kg a hectare.

Pulses area

“Adilabad has the potential for increased production and productivity in food grains. This is a chronic pulses area and the new irrigation projects coming up here will double the area under cultivation at present”, pointed out Joint Director of Agriculture, C. Sayanna.

“Paddy and pulses account for about 30 per cent of the total sown area of 5.5 lakh hectares in the district. Interventions that are planned under the Mission are therefore more suitable here”, added C. Narsingu, Agriculture Officer.

The potential for increasing area under paddy and pulses cultivation is expected to be by around 25,000 hectares respectively. At present paddy and pulses are cultivated in about 75,000 hectares in two seasons.

Awareness

Besides demonstrations on improved agriculture practices, the NFSM envisages supply of subsidised seeds and plant protection chemicals and bio-agents.

However, more important aspect of the Mission is causing awareness through farmer field schools on reduction of costs of agriculture and simultaneous increase in productivity.

“For example we will tell paddy farmers under the ayacut of given irrigation tanks to sow pulses in their fields besides raising a paddy nursery," explained the joint director.

“If drought conditions prevail, the farmers can continue with the pulses crop. On the other hand, if sufficient water for irrigating paddy fields is available, the pulses plants can be mulched to provide manure for the paddy crop”, he further added.

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