Experts emphasised farmer-to-farmer communication as the most effective way for ensuring the adoption of scientific technologies
ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu recently organised ’Cane-ovate Workshop’, – a national level workshop for the Innovative Sugarcane Farmers of the country.
Interpersonal communication among the sugarcane farmers is a significant means by which farmers obtain information related to innovations in sugarcane farming leading to improvement in sugarcane productivity and profitability, said Harmandar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary & Commissioner of Sugar, Government of Tamil Nadu.
Referring to the innovative farmers of Tamil Nadu and other states participating in ‘Cane-ovate’, as the ’Brand Ambassadors’ of the sugarcane farming, the commissioner emphasised sharing the farmers’ experiences among the other farmers to encourage them in achieving the higher yields. Singh regarded farmer-to-farmer communication as the most effective way for ensuring the adoption of scientific technologies.
Dr Bakshi Ram, Former Director, ICAR-SBI, Coimbatore & President, SSRD underlined the impacts being made by the ICAR-SBI, Coimbatore and its Regional Centres in the lives of sugarcane farmers with its varieties and technologies over the years. Dr Ram emphasised the Co 0238 Variety developed at the institute that alone was instrumental in improving the average sugarcane yield by 20t/ha at the regional level and about 10 t/ha at the national level.
Dr G Hemaprabha, Director, ICAR-SBI, Coimbatore outlined about 78 per cent of the cane area in the country that is occupied by the “Co” Varieties developed at the institute.
The participants were provided with the field visits, exposure to the ICAR-SBI technologies which had been commercialised and distributed the seed material of the popular variety – Co 11015 during the occasion.
