On Saturday, the ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) held a 'Stakeholders Interface workshop - Pre-kharif consultation on technologies and best practises for increasing cotton productivity' at Vanamati.
The event was organised in collaboration with PDKV Akola and the Nagpur Division of the Department of Agriculture. The workshop benefited around 350 farmers from Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Akola, Umred, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli villages.
Sunil Kedar, the state minister for animal husbandry and dairy development, was the chief guest. The dignitaries who shared the dais were Dr CD Mayee, ex-chairman (ASRB) and ex-director (ICAR-CICR), Dr VM Bhale, vice-chancellor of PDKV, Dr AL Waghmare, director of DCD, and Ravindra Bhosle, JDA, Nagpur division.
Kedar reaffirmed Mahatma Gandhi's principle that a nation's strength lay in its rural regions, emphasising the importance of excellent extension to bring research gains to communities. For natural cotton production, he recommended PROM fertiliser and neem-based compounds.
Dr. Mayee spoke on the need of making Ht Bt cotton legal, as well as the Bandhan project and its help to combating pink boll worm and increasing cotton productivity.
Dr. Bhale discussed the need of hiring plant shedders for agricultural residue management and the usage of pheromone traps. Dr. YG Prasad, director of ICAR-CICR, briefed on the cotton production and strategies to enhance cotton productivity in Maharashtra.
A technical session for farmers was also held, which featured interactive lectures. A vote of gratitude was proposed by Dr. Sunil Rokde.
About CICR
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research created the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) in 1976 to foster long-term research efforts in cotton production and to give assistance and undertake practical research on cotton with the active participation of State Universities. The research institute has two campuses in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and Sirsa, Haryana. The CICR's research activities are part of the Council's All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project (AICCIP), which began in 1967. The entity's headquarters are in Nagpur, with regional offices in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and Sirsa, Haryana.
