Gadchiroli Sept. 28 (District Correspondent) Under the Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjivani Project, the 4th agricultural school for women farmers on paddy crops was conducted at village Kasvi in Armori taluka under the guidance of Taluka Agriculture Officer Nilesh Gedam and Mandal Agriculture Officer Sandeep Nakade recently. This school is being conducted directly by Assistant Agriculture Officer Smita Shambharkar.
Women’s agricultural school is a practical training class organized for women farmers. In this, women farmers, members of self-help groups came together on the farm of Gayatri Dupare and learnt the modern technology and management from sowing to harvesting of crops.
Guidance on soil health card, fertilizer management, integrated pest management, and preparation of natural pesticides, precautions for spraying, along with demonstrations was given.
Deputy Agriculture Officer Priya Akhade and Assistant Agriculture Officer Smita Shambharkar guided the women farmers. The main objective of women agricultural schools is to empower women farmers by providing them with information about modern technology and improved farming methods. Since the teaching is done through demonstrations on the actual farm, women farmers can easily learn new things and put them into practice.
Women were taught how to prepare home-made organic pesticides like neem extract and dasaparni extract using eco-friendly methods, which reduces the use of chemical sprays. Important aspects such as reading the soil health card and managing fertilizers accordingly and integrated management of crop pests and diseases, integrated management of major crop pests and diseases, importance of crop insurance were also taught.
Women’s Agricultural School is an important platform for making women farmers self-reliant and capable in agriculture. Nilesh Gedam appealed to farmers to be alert about the locust pest, which will arrive between the last fortnight of September and the first fortnight of October, depending on the weather.
