Projects

MODEL VILLAGE FOR AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION IN FARMER'S FIELD TO IMPROVE CROP YIELD PER UNIT OF CULTIVATED LAND AND BETTER LIVELIHOOD MAINTENANCE OF FAMILY OF A FARMER

INTRODUCTION
Agriculture is the basic livelihood of farming community of our country.Traditional method of cultivation practices with conventional modern farming practices at the advent of green revolution since 1960 to provide more food,fiber, fuel.shelter for the over growing population  leading to cultivation of high yielding varieties  with indiscriminate use of  ground water,synthetic chemical fertilizer and plant protection chemicals;polluting soil, water,air environment. Accumulation of salt in the cultivated soil and poisonous residues of synthetic agro-chemicals and heavy metals  in food   from present crop production affecting living-beings health with so many diseases like cancer from arsenic,nickel, heart and kidney damage by cadmium, nerve damage by mercury, brain damage by lead etc.in this present environment. At present cultivated lands are degrading due to diminishing of soil flora and fauna inthe cultivated soil which are important for sustainable soil fertility and crop productivity.
Nitrogen is the most essential nutrient for of plant, animal, human for nutrition ofprotein. So, application of high analysis urea fertilizer was popularize in modern agricultural practices for more protein food nutrition. Nitrogen use efficiency of urea fertilizer in cultivated up land crop about 50% and water logged submerged paddy soil about 30 %. Rest 50 to 70 % of nitrogenous fertilizer in nitrate and nitrous oxide form polluting soil, water,air environment. Nitrate is leaching to ground water when it is use as drinking water as nitrosamines a carcinogenic chemicals causing cancer to the living body and infant below 6 months old suffering from cancer as blue baby syndrome. According to World Health Organization drinking water containing more than 50 mg of nitrate per liter may cause cancer to living body. Nitrate as nitrous oxide from water logged soil volatilized to stratosphere causing depletion of ozone layer of the  earth atmosphere allowing transmission of ultraviolet ray to troposphere of the earth causing also cancer to the living-beings .in the earth planet. In India, every year about 10 lacks of people affected   from cancer and 6lacks peopledie in cancer. So, use of synthetic urea fertilizer may be the one of the cause for spreading cancer in the living-beings in the world.
The accumulation of nitrate in in the soil -clay -humus system also destroy humus a resistant amorphous darkbrown color lignite carbon and protein complex with enzyme in the microorganisms which transform nutrients to plant root hair in ionic form for nutrition of essential nutrient to plant to animal and human in food chain of nature. So, residual soil nitrate as nitric acid causing acidity of the soil.
So, soil management with soil amendment like lime or dolomite in acid soil and gypsum in saline, alkali soil along with enriched organic matter like vermin- compost and balanced use of organic and inorganic fertilizer is very much essential to maintain soil health for sustainable soil fertility and future crop productivity.Diversification of cropping inwaste land with agro-forestry and horticulture, in crop rotation and cropping scheme inclusion of legume crop with pulse and oil seeds crops,watershed management with rain water harvesting and efficient use of water in critical growth stages of crop should get priority in modern intensive agriculture cultivation. Ecological organic nature farming may also be adopted for safe and nutritious food agricultural farming system. Precision farming for efficient use of agricultural inputs like water, fertilizer, plant protection chemical though drip and sprinkler irrigation, mulching on surface soil for control of weed,moisture conservation, minimize pest  and diseaseby sterilization of soil, organicmatter and nutrient preservation, useof polyhousein winter and rainy season and shed-net in summer season for off-season and throughout the year cultivation of crop for more crop production per unit area of agricultural land. Aquaculture in water-shed pond for more fish production, animal husbandry like dairy, gotary,poultry for more income generation in farmers family for maintenance of better livelihoodof farmer.Bee keepingknown as apiary and mushroom cultivation should get priority in village cottage industry for more income generation from the family of a farmer.

METHODOLOGY
One key village with nine cluster villages will be selected from Gazole block ofMalda district.  4 training programs per year for 50 nos. for each training (out of the 30 farmers 3 from key village and 27 from 3 cluster village + out of the 20 self-helps group women2 fromkey village and 18 from 3 cluster village ) In every year one farmers training cum work shop at the end of the year to understand follow up action of technology of model village project.
Keeping these views in knowledge a project for the development of model village for agricultural science and technology innovation in farmer’s field to improve crop yield per unit of cultivated land and better livelihood maintenance of family of a  farmerfollowing objectives have been undertaken as follows.

  1. Soil health management with soil amendment and balanced use organic and inorganic fertilizer.
  2. Vermicompositing for organic fertilizer production to reduce use of synthetic fertilizer in crop production. .
  3. Ecological organic nature farming concept for sustainable and safe agricultural production.
  4. Use of portable small modern agricultural implements and machinery in fragmented holdings for efficient and energy savings in agricultural operations.
  5. Rain water harvesting for water-shed management and efficient use of irrigation water in critical growth stages of crop in cropping system.
  6. Diversification of cropping through agro-forestry, agro-horticulture with introduction of legumes crops like pulses and oilseeds in crop rotation and cropping scheme.
  7. Ecological organic farming with agro-forestry system of cultivation will mitigate the climate change phenomena in the environment.
  8. Adoption of precision farming like drip irrigation ,sprinkler, in orchard, vegetable, floriculture cultivation, poly house in winter and rainy season and shed-net in summer season , mulching in cultivated soil to increase crop yield  per unit of cultivated land.
  9. Grading and processing of excess grain,vegetables, fruits produced in the field of farmers.
  10. Aquaculture in watershed pond for fish production by farmers.
  11. Animal husbandry like dairy, goat keeping along with poultry for more milk and meat production.
  12. Training on education, knowledge and skill development on the above mentioned  agricultural science and technology knowledge among the farmers.
  13. Entrepreneurship development among the farmers of the village especially rural unemployed youth dependent on agricultural on cottage and small-scale industry.
  14. Bee keeping as apiary forhoney production in cottage industry of a village.
  15. Mushroom cultivation for more protein food in cottage industry of a village.
  16. One wholesaler purchase point and retailer sale point will be developed under project for development of  perfect market system  of all agricultural product   by the farmers of the area of model village project. 
  17. One awareness program will be organized on  introduction of agricultural science and technology education in school and college education preferably as youth day in the vicinity  of the model village  project.