CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE IS VITAL FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION: DR. PATRICK WALL

LUDHIANA, JUNE 28:-----



A regional training course on \'Conservation agriculture: nurturing sustainable production systems in south Asia\', under the aegis of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in collaboration with Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) was organized under cereal systems initiatives in south Asia (CSISA) was organized here, today.



Speaking in the inaugural function, the Chief Guest, Dr. R.K.Mahey, PAU Registrar said that the contemporary agriculture is facing several challenges including the decline in natural resource base. Conservation agriculture (CA) practices are useful in addressing the issues, he said adding that it was good that CIMMYT) is playing a good role in promoting CA by taking along the partner organizations. He wished that the experts deliberating on different facets of CA will benefit the participants.



Dr. Patrick Wall, Director (GCAP), CIMMYT, who presided over the function said that CA is being globally recognized as a need-based approach as far as the natural resource conservation is concerned. He informed that the training programme was started a couple of years ago with many partners world wide. He said that CA being the multifaceted programme need the involvement of multi-disciplinary scientists. He said that the second regional programme at PAU has been planned to provide exposure to the participating trainees from different countries.





The guest of honour, Dr. M.S.Gill, Director of Extension Education said that for maintaining sustainability, resource conservation in agriculture is important. He pointed out a variety of socio-economic and other agrarian constraints that he hoped will be addressed with the support of CSISA project. He said that PAU has developed and recommended several CA technologies such as laser land leveling, permanent bed planting, and highlighted that the resource saving technologies such as leaf colour chart for paddy and maize, tensio meter for need-based irrigation in paddy, etc. have been recommended. The state of Punjab is largely having machinery based agriculture system, he observed.



The Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Dr. P.P.S.Lubana welcomed the Chief Guest, guests of honour and participants to the training programme.



Giving an overview of the course, the Course Coordinator, Dr. M.L.Jat expressed that an emphasis has been laid on practical training to participants from different production systems. The participation of women in the training is positive sign, he said. Participants (14) from Bangladesh, Nepal apart from India are undergoing training at PAU on different aspects of CA, he said.



Dr. Ken Sayer from CIMMYT highlighted that the CSISA programmes have been held at PAU, earlier also. He mentioned that the objective of the training is to impart the necessary orientation and exposure on the CA to the scientific community, said Dr. Jat adding that the emphasis is on practical aspects.



Dr. H.S.Sidhu, Senior Research Manager, CSISA project at PAU proposed his vote of thanks to the chief guest, guest of honour, resource persons, and participants.


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