“Establishment of Biotech-KISAN Project at Foundation for Advancement of Agriculture and Rural Development (FAARD Foundation), sponsored by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Scientist & Technology, Government of India, in partnership with ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (ICAR-IIVR), Varanasi”

Priority Areas:

1. Selection of villages need assessment and Prioritization of promotional agriculture activities
2.  Capacity building on proven technologies in agriculture and allied field
3.  Technologies intervention in cereals, coarse cereals, vegetables & pulses through demonstrations in selected villages
4.  Developing model seed villages through Farmers level activity (Farmers Exhibitions, Awareness Programme, Interactions Meet etc.)

Project Domain:

• Agro-climatic zone: Middle Gangetic Plain Region
• Aspirational Districts: Chandaulli and Sonbhadra (Uttar Pradesh)
• Non-Aspirational Districts: Varanasi and Ghazipur (Uttar Pradesh)

Name and Address of the Hub Facilitator:

Prof. Panjab Singh (President)

Foundation for Advancement of Agriculture and Rural Development (FAARD Foundation),Saraswati Kunj, Narayanpur (Dafi), P.O. Naipura, Varanasi – 221011 (UP)

Name(s) and address(s) of the Principal Investigators:

1. Prof. R.M. Singh, Coordinator, FAARD Foundation, Varanasi
2. Dr. Jagdish Singh, Director, ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi
3. Dr. Neeraj Singh, Principal Scientist, ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi

Activities to be undertaken during 2020-21 by FAARD under Biotech-KISAN Project and others:

Three villages will be selected in each districts and attempt will be made to develop each one into a model village. Field Programs viz. field crops demonstrations and demonstration of other production and income and employment generating technologies given here is for each village in a district. Programs relating to farmer’s trainings, farmers awareness, field days, Kisan Melas, farmers visits to other centres/ institutions, information and communication materials will be a pooled activity for villages or even districts as the case may be. This will give chance for cross villages and districts farmers interaction for sharing technology, knowledge and experience. To develop each village into a model one, besides agriculture, we shall be addressing the issues related to education, hygiene, health, village waste management, soil and water conservation, ecology and environment, entrepreneurship development, awareness about happenings around like Corona Pandemic and others.

Ghazipur (non-aspirational districts):

1. 1. Field Demonstration for production (seed and grain) in Paddy, Pearl millet (bajra), Pigeon pea (Arhar), Moong (green gram), Black gram (Urad) and vegetables (3). One demonstration for each crop on half to one acre area in each village., thus a total of 6-7 demonstrations on roughly 4-6 acres in each of the three villages in the district. These will be primarily for seed production but technology demonstration for grain production will also be done.
   2. Other activities:
      Low cost tissue culture technology for seedling and saplings production.
      Food processing including green chilli powder.
      Farm tools and small machines for establishing entrepreneur center in village.
      Mushroom and/or honey bee production by women farmers.
      Goatery/ piggery/ poultry production. It will be decided after having assessed the interest of the farmers.
   3. Farmers Trainings:
      We could organise the following three trainings in the season.
      (i) Vegetable production under protected environment at IIVR, Varanasi.
      (ii) Food Processing and value addition at ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi.
      (iii) Diversification in Agriculture at Institute of Agriculture Sciences, BHU, Varanasi.
      It would be one week in-house training with 15-20 farmers drawn from across the villages and districts. These trainings could be scheduled during October, December, 2020 and February, 2021.
   4. Farmers Visits to Institutions and Other centres in the country:
      About 15-20 farmers could be taken to institutions like, BHU, Varanasi, IIVR, Varanasi, NDUAT, Faizabad, CSAUAT, Kanpur and IARI, New Delhi and others for their exposure to new technologies and innovations. Two such visits-one in November and the other in March could be organised during the year.
   5. Field Days and Kisan Melas:
      One field day in each village in a crop season will be organised to have in depth interactions among different stakeholders including farmers. Dates could be decided as per need.
      Similarly, two Kisan Melas in aspiration districts – one in October and the other in February could be organised. This will be a common meet for farmers and other stakeholders across districts to share information and gather feedback for future planning.

Chandauli (Aspirational district):

1. Field demonstrations and other activities will, by and large, be same as indicated for Ghazipur district. Changes in crops and other supporting activities could be chosen depending on the need assessment of the farmers.
2. Other activities:
   (i) Fish Seed Hatchery.
   (ii)Farm tools and small machines.
   (iii)Farm waste management.
   (iv)Food Processing.
   (v)Goatery/Piggeru/Poultry production.
   (vi)Bee keeping.
3. Trainings:
   (i) Goatery/Poultry/Piggery.
   (ii) Fish Seed Hatchery.
   (iii)Farm Waste Management and Composting..
   (iv)Bee keeping.
   (v) Mushroom production.
   All other details are same as mentioned for Ghazipur district.

Varanasi (Non-Aspirational district):

1. Field demonstrations and other activities will, by and large, be same as indicated for Ghazipur district. Changes in crops and other supporting activities could be chosen depending on the need assessment of the farmers.
2. Other activities will be similar to those mentioned for Ghazipur and Chandauli districts. Depending on the need assessment of farmers it will be decided.
3. Training:
   (i) Seed production (hybrids in cereals and vegetables).
   (ii) Seedlings production through tissue culture technique.
   (iii) Fish seed hatchery
   (iv) Low cost green house technology.
   (v) Bee keeping.
   (vi) Mushroom production.
   (vii)Hi-tech horticulture.

Sonbhadra (Aspirational district):

1. Field demonstration and other supporting activities will be as mentioned for Ghazipur district. Depending on need assessment of individual farmers the activities will be assigned.
2. Trainings:
   (i) Paddy seed production technology.
   (ii)Protected agriculture.
   (iii)Water conservation and management.
   (iv)Goatery/piggery/poultry production.
   (v)Fish seed hatchery.
   (vi)Diversification in agriculture.

Communication and Information Sharing Center:

In the recent outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have learned to make better use of the digital mode in our day-to-day communication, meetings and issues related to publication. Such a cell in the FAARD Office is developing mechanisms using various methods, such as video conferencing , WhatsApp groups, Twitter, Facebook, Farmers Club and E-magazine will take care to increase access to farmers and other stakeholders. FARD SAMVAAD, our quarterly magazine will be a major source of information sharing and will be promoted further.