JHARSUGUDA: A training-cum-exposure visit on commercial vegetable cultivation was organized by the CSR dept. of Vedanta Ltd on October 18, 2017 for SHG members of the Subhalaxmi Cooperative at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jharsuguda, Odisha.
Over 30 farmers belonging to multiple SHGs participated in the program where experts in agriculture and horticulture gave the interested farmers insights on commercial farming. Biswa Ranjan Pattnaik, Sr Scientist-cum-Program Coordinator at Krishi Vigyan Kendra graced the occasion as the guest of honor along with resource personnel Prabhanjan Mishra (horticulture) and Manoj Ku Barik (agriculture), Dr Sabita Swain – Chief Medical Officer, Vedanta Ltd., and Mrs Pushpanjali Seth – President, Subhalaxmi Cooperative.
The primary objective of this program was to impress upon the women farmers the need and scope for commercial farming, increase their understanding of the financial returns associated with it and impart technical skills training to achieve the same. This is one in a series of farm-based enterprise training sessions provisioned by Subhalaxmi Cooperative for its members.
During the session, Pattnaik expounded upon the issues and challenges faced by farmers during vegetable cultivation and how commercial cultivation can help bring home higher returns. The horticulture and agriculture experts explained the techniques and best practices of farming various commercial crops, like understanding the growing seasons, seed treatment, pest control measures, bio fertilizers and pesticides, vermi-compost, etc. The session was supplemented by a field visit where all of the aforementioned techniques were demonstrated to the farmers.
Earlier in September, women farmers of Keldamal, Gudigaon and Sunajharia had participated in a similar training program. In the upcoming months, Subhalaxmi Cooperative plans to conduct two more such training programs for farm-based enterprises. On the non-farm side, various events, training sessions and entrepreneur meets have been lined up in this financial year.
Subhalaxmi Cooperative promoted by Vedanta Limited, Jharsuguda is one o the largest women’s cooperatives in the region, engaged in enhancing the socio-economic condition of its women members through quality financial and livelihoods services.
Under its livelihood initiative, the cooperative imparts technical training and capacity building program to its members through convergences with Government line department and technical resource agencies.
