Ahead of sowing of kharif (summer) crops, the government’s premier agri-research body ICAR has come out with an advisory to help farmers overcome the impact of the second wave of the pandemic on farm production and their income.
“During 2021-22, second wave of COVID-19 pandemic is again posing a serious problem to the nation, halting economic activities in one way or the other. The resultant actions may impact agricultural production and consequently national food and nutrition security,” said the 400 page advisory prepared by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). ts with suitable technological options can show sustainable pathways under such circumstances, it said.
Stating that the 2021 kharif season is approaching in midst of second wave of Covid pandemic, the ICAR advisory said, “Therefore, disruption in normal operations/ logistics usually undertaken during the pre-kharif period is likely.”
To cope with shortages in labour and timely availability of inputs at affordable prices, farmers need to enhance the use of on-farm inputs especially organic manures, adopt best practices for increasing resource use efficiency and reduce cost of cultivation, it said.