The three-day conglomeration "Soya Mahakumbh" representing stakeholders soybean growers, scientists, officials from development departments has been inaugurated on Sunday at the University auditorium of Devi AhilyaVishwaVidyalaya, Indore.
About 2500 farmers have attended the event on the first day. The Soya Mahakumbh is hosting this event along with agricultural exhibition involving 54 exhibition stalls belonging to the input dealers, seed processors, R&D organizations, and development agencies.
The programme is jointly organized by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research; Society for Soybean Research & Development, Solidaridad, Bhopal and SOPA, Indore during 29-31 May, 2022. The inauguralprogramme was conducted in the august presence of Honble Kailash Chaudhary Union Minister of State for Agriculture; Kamal Patel, Minister of Agriculture, Madhya Pradesh; DrTrilochan Mahapatra, Secretary DARE and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, Shankar Lalwani, Member of Parliament from Indore, ICAR-IISR Director Nita Khandekar and other eminent personalities.
At the outset, Nita Khandekar welcomed the dignitaries and briefed about the efforts being carried out by the institute for taking research output to the field level using different approaches. Mahapatra on the occasion opined that per hectare productivity of soybean is hovering around 1ton/ha since last few decades which needs to be increased. For this to happen, coordinated efforts of extension personnel, farmers, input dealers and others involved in supportive services are necessary.
He said that, the quality seed production of new soybean varieties and its efficient multiplication alone can increase the soybean productivity by 20%. He expressed the satisfaction that the breeder seed production target of 14326 quintal has been achieved which will accelerate the seed production programme.
He also called for increasing the Varietal Replacement Rate in order to have varietal diversification especially considering the prevailing aberrations. Mahapatra, also hoped that the farmers of Central India have achieved the yield limits of about 2-3 ton/ha as reflected in the Frontline demonstrations.
Therefore, he said that the agronomic management should be a focused area for capacity building of the farmers and other stakeholders.
In his brief address, Shri Shankar Lalwani, Honb'le Member of Parliament described that the Government of India did not allow the hike in prices of fertilizers particularly Urea, a major element for plant growth. He further said that the Union Government is committed to protect the interest of small and marginal farmers, the backbone of agricultural economy.
