PJTAU to take farm innovations to fields under new Rabi initiative | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTAU) will take farm innovations directly to farmers’ fields this Rabi season under a new initiative aimed at promoting crop diversification, reducing yield gaps and increasing farm incomes, vice-chancellor Professor Aldas Janaiah said.The ‘Innovation to Impact’ programme is being introduced as part of reforms in the university’s research system and has been designed in view of El Nino conditions and gaps in adoption of technologies, particularly in pulses and oilseeds.“The objective is to take technologies from research stations to farmers’ fields and demonstrate their impact directly, while reducing technology and yield gaps and improving farmers’ incomes,” professor Janaiah said.The two-year programme will be implemented at 12 centres — Palem, Tandur, Madhira, Warangal, Kambasagar, Rudrur, Adilabad, Jagtial, Thornala, Karimnagar, Basanthpur and Koonaram. Each centre will have a team of four scientists, who will select four villages and identify 20 to 25 progressive farmers from each village.Scientists will provide crop-specific technology packages covering improved varieties, better production practices, plant protection measures and other advanced technologies. They will also closely monitor implementation in farmers’ fields.Janaiah said the programme had six key outcomes. It seeks to bridge gaps in adoption of agricultural technologies, reduce yield gaps and increase farmers’ incomes. It will also focus on improving soil and water quality, increasing availability of pulses and oilseeds and reducing dependence on imports of these crops.The technology packages will be implemented continuously in selected farmers’ fields and their impact assessed at the end of each season or year. “Demonstrating the results in farmers’ fields will encourage other farmers to adopt technologies that deliver better yields and incomes,” Janaiah said.The programme will be formally launched at one of the 12 centres between Oct 18 and 31 by agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao as part of the Centre’s Khet Bachao programme.PJTAU will seek support from ICAR institutions, ICRISAT and state agriculture and horticulture departments. It also plans to involve capable private-sector organisations.The university will soon submit a comprehensive project proposal to the state govt seeking about ₹25 crore for implementation of the programme, Janaiah said.