ATMA Botsa Block launched a System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Farm School at Tuophema Village on 3rd September 2020. ATM Medokhrielie delivered a lecture on the concept and guidelines of a farm school purposes, where one of the main activities would be to operationalize frontline demonstration in one or more crops and also provide technical trainings to target farmers by having an interactive session, the role of the farm school teacher where his/her knowledge and skills would be upgraded on continuous basis through trainings at various levels.
The appointed farm school teacher Thepfuchalie Kense,a pioneer in a system of rice intensification (SRI) farming in his Village shared his experiences. After taking inspiration going through journals and articles about SRI and later a boost from ATMA Kohima intervention where training on SRI was conducted at Tuophema Village in later part of July 2014. So by 2015, he decided to convert his 2 terraces to SRI on trial mode, but ultimately did not bear good result due to his incompetency on the practices of the new system.
By 2017 he decided to covert his whole field (1.5 acre approx) to SRI farming. Gradually with proper inputs ,timely intervention from SDAO, Chiephobozou assisting with farm machineries and knowledge which ultimately resulted in more yield i.e 30% more than the previous years and the system is been practiced till date..
Later, demonstrations on nursery bed preparation of winter vegetables (Cabbage and Broccoli) was conducted at Tsiemekhu Bawe/Basa village with Hainenle Tep (ATM) Medokhrielie (ATM) as the resource persons. The participants were highlighted on the importance of raising proper nursery so as to get a good outcome of the seeds and how valuable and very small seeds can be raised effectively without any wastage.
Further, the participants were advised on the time of sowing and to adopt timely sowing of crops, seed rate, spacing, irrigation schedules, the time of transplanting and the after care of the seedlings. Altogether a total of 15 farmers participated in the 2 demonstration programmes and were distributed with F1 Hybrid seeds of Cabbage, Broccoli, Green pea and roban. The resource persons also apprised the farmers on the Kisan Call Centre (KCC), its toll free number and how it can be effectively used to their advantage in their farming activities.
(DIPR)
