An accomplished researcher, an agricultural technophile of a higher order Prof Manoranjan Kar is currently Vice-Chancellor of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology since 2013. He is an alma mater of the same university. He is committed to the cardinal tenets of teaching, research and extension over the last three years. The university under him has taken giant strides, and as such 329 students qualified in the ICAR-JRF examinations in which 73 universities participated. Prof Kar as the VC received the Commendation Award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. He also received the Educational Excellence Award, 2014-15 from Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Farmers’ Welfare Award in 2016. His other success story was the highest 26 number of students qualifying for the GATE examination-2015 from the College of Agricultural Engineering & Technology. The university has signed MoUs with overseas institutions like the University of Hawaii, US; IRRI, Philippines; CIMMYT, Mexico; RIHN, Japan for furthering education and research activities. In an interview to The Pioneer, Kar spoke to Sugyan Choudhury from his office.
What are the significant achievements during your tenure as VCIJ
During my tenure of three years, the university has carved a niche for itself in the realm of academics. Our university stood 3rd in ICAR-JRF Examination in 2013 and ranked 1st in 2014 ICAR-JRF Examination at the national level for which I was felicitated by the Prime Minister. The university also received commendation by being honoured with the Educational Excellence Award in 2015 from the Union Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh. As for research activities, we have produced 17 new high yielding varieties, including seven from rice, two from sugarcane, two from sesame, one from black gram, one from green gram, four from arhar. These varieties are highly popular among the farming communities and intended to uplift the standards of poor and marginalised farmers. These varieties are eco-friendly and adaptable to different agro-climatic conditions. Through demonstrations, this knowledge is transformed to farmers through our Krishi Bigyan Kendras (KBKs).
One memorable thing we have achieved is in the field of administrative reforms by reducing court cases of our employees through amicable settlements by one grievance redressal committee. So, the number of court cases has come down to an all-time low. Another remarkable achievement is not holding Students’ Union elections in our all eleven colleges for the last three years but nominating student leaders through consensus. This has been possible through my leadership and through the team works of my colleagues. This process has resulted in giving us a serene campus bristling with higher academic activities conducive for research.
What are the reasons behind the failure of the Potato MissionIJ
The Potato Mission is exclusively a Government policy decision. Our experts are examining and identifying the seeds which are then procured by the Government. But the non-availability of large cold storages is the main stumbling block in the path of the success of the mission. large-scale construction of cold storages will solve this problem in future.
The Government largely depended on the OUAT for providing seeds and necessary technological support. How far it came trueIJ
We have certain good varieties of potato seeds and they are highly popular among farmers. We could not provide potato seeds in such a large measure for all the farmers. They have to procure it from outside. As regards technological support, our experts are always on the vanguards.
Did the Government receive reports from time to time from experts since procurement of seeds, germination, growth of the plants so as to enable it for the consequence of the missionIJ
As I told you, there were timely reports by our experts and by the Department of Horticulture. There were no lapses in this regard. You know due to the sustained technological support to the Government, our State has been receiving the Krishi Karman Award consecutively for the last three years. Thus, where does the question of lapses in technological support ariseIJ You know there are rapid changes in weather system and there are climatic variations too that also contributed to failure of the Potato Mission. I am sure, with our technological support and with the policy in hand of the Government, this mission will be a success in future.
What are the plans on your agenda for recommending climate-smart agriculture in our StateIJ
Climatic variations, global warming, flood, drought are a threat to our agriculture. But then, we have to rely on resilient plant system. Our State has been divided into ten climatic zones. This is a boon to our State. When in one climatic condition we have failure, we can expect success of good harvesting in other climatic zones. There are research centres operating in all the ten climatic zones. They are devising ways and means as to how certain seeds or plants will work in those climatic conditions only. For example, the seeds in the coastal zone may not be yielding in Sambalpur. Hence, our research centres located at Sambalpur are on their jobs to discover seeds which will work in the Sambalpur climatic variations. Thus, the ten climatic zones are a blessing in disguise of the bountiful nature, which has been providing a single season in most of the places and countries very much unlike ours in Odisha.
What are the KBKs doingIJ
There are 31 KBKs under our university. Besides, there are two others; one under the CRRI and the other under the CIFA. And again, there are ten other institutes under the ICAR where scientists are working. All the research activities after their testing are transmitted to all these 33 centres for application among the farming community. The financial supports for the same are provided by the ICAR.
What are your visions for putting agriculture of Odisha in its desired growth trajectoryIJ
You know 82 per cent of farmers in our State are poor and marginalised ones. Hence, they can go for mushroom cultivation, honeybee farming and backyard poultry. Besides, we should have climate-resilient agriculture, organic farming, integrated nutrient management, both for organic and inorganic farming, zero pesticides or for integrated pest management and the like. 70 per cent of our land are receding or are dead by now. We need to recover the soil health conditions through soil management system. Thus, we can build up a vibrant agriculture for our State with the support of the OUAT.