ICAR-Indian Soybean Research Institute, Indore and I.T.C. Company Limited jointly organized an online training program "Improved Soybean Production Technology and New Innovative Practices of soybean Production" with the participation of more than 550 farmers and field staff associated with ITC from the States like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat under the E-Choupal program.
Initially, the Coordinator of the training programme, B. U. Dupare welcomed the distinguishing guests and trainee participants, and hoped to have meaningful scientific interaction.Neeta Khandekar, Acting Director of the Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Indore, briefed about the major objective of increasing the productivity of soybean crop through which number of online webinars and training programmes are being organized by creating and strengthening linkages with various government as well as private organizations like ITC, Solidaridad etc.
She also said that it will not be appropriate to compare the Indian soybean with other countries as the average maturity duration for soybean there is more than 150 days compare to 100 days in India.
Therefore, Indian Institute of Soybean Research has always been striving for the development of varieties and technologies capable of higher yield as well as characters resistant to major pest and disease resistance. She also expressed the hope to achieve the average productivity of soybean to 15 quintal/ha by 2025.
During the inaugural session, C. Shashidhar, Head, of Agriculture Services, I.T.C. expressed hope to strengthen the proposed seed bank of ITC e-choupal, through the capacity building programme organized by the ICAR-IISR. While appreciating the scientific contribution of IISR Scientists in the development and dissemination of soybean production technologies, Anita Sharma, Crop Advisory Service E-Chaupal and Anil Kolla, expressed the preparedness of the participating farmers and field staff of ITC to take these technologies and practices to the field level for profit maximization and productivity enhancement.
