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Tamil Nadu News Papers - Agriculture

Farmers to maintain lakes, tanks for irrigation

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The New Indian Express 19.11.2009

Farmers to maintain lakes, tanks for irrigation


TIRUVALLUR: In a welcome move, the farmers of Tiruvallur district will maintain lakes and tanks themselves for irrigation purposes henceforth. To facilitate this, water users associations (WUAs) have been formed for the first time in the district.

The initiative is part of the World Bank-aided Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water Bodies Restoration and Management (IAMWARM) project to improve irrigational (infrastructure) facilities besides getting the farmers involved in the water resources management of their region.

Under phase III of the plan for Tiruvallur district, the water users forums are being formed along side improving the Kosathalayar basin, which is the life line of farmers in the district.

According to sources in the Public Works Department here, development works including that of the Periya Kalakattur and Manavur Isa tanks would soon begin in all the 198 tanks in the district. These two tanks alone support irrigation in about 1,500 hectares out of the total 35,256 hectares in the district.

The works that are to start soon include strengthening of tank bunds, repair and reconstruction of sluices and surplus weirs. Tenders will be floated soon inviting bidders and the whole exercise of development of tanks is likely to be over before mid 2011. The 143 WUAs, formed in the district, will supersupervise the works.

Last Updated on Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:55
 

CM for new tech to boost farm productivity

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The New Indian Express 07.11.2009

CM for new tech to boost farm productivity




COIMBATORE: As cultivable area was slowly shrinking, new agricultural technologies were being advocated to farmers to increase productivity, said Chief Minister M Karunanidhi here on Friday.

Presiding over the fourth national conference of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) on the topic `KVK as Resource and Knowledge Center for Agricultural Technology’ at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Karunanidhi attributed shrinking of cultivable land to industrialisation and urbanisation.

He said though the State had attained a good position in production of food grains, it needed to boost the productivity of pulses and oilseeds.

Stating that the food grain production in 2008-09 was 91 lakh tonne and rice productivity has increased from 1,450 kg per hectare to 3,450 kg, he said these were possible due to transfer of technologies. The State was surging ahead to become the most socially and economically `progressive State’ in the country, he said.

Emphasising the need for technology transfer to farmers, he said scientists of the KVKs should encourage as well as train the farmers to adopt latest technologies to achieve productivity. Scientists should be a “ladder” to help farmers scale better heights in economic and social status, he said.

The aim of KVKs should be to increase the agricultural production, improve quality of the produce and gain better price and remuneration so as to improve the socioeconomic status of the farming community, he added.

Last Updated on Saturday, 07 November 2009 11:41
 

TNAU’s ODL courses for urban dwellers

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The Hindu 20.07.2009

TNAU’s ODL courses for urban dwellers

Staff Reporter

These six-month courses will be offered in English

COIMBATORE: To inculcate the know-how and do-how on agricultural enterprises among the elite progressive farmers and urban dwellers who are deprived of formal agricultural education, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) will offer nine certificate courses in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode.

These are in landscaping and ornamental gardening, nursery technology, commercial horticulture, modern weed management, soil fertility management, mushroom cultivation, coconut cultivation, integrated nutrient management and waste recycling and vermi-composting.

According to a release, these six-month courses will be offered in English for the benefit of urban learners in the State as well as other states.

Landscaping

The course in landscaping and ornamental gardening will cover topics on identification of suitable plants for outdoors, landscaping principles, styles of gardening, importance of irrigation, utility of fountains, ponds, waterfalls, etc.

The course in nursery technology will deal with preparation and layout of nursery beds, seed treatment, soil sterilisation aspects, propagation methods, laying and bedding, maintenance and display of plants, etc.

The course in commercial horticulture will cover indoor plants, landscape gardening, kitchen gardening, seed production, pollination control, package and practices of flower and vegetable crops, etc.

The course in modern weed management will include topics like identification of weeds, integrated weed management in field and horticultural crops, problematic weed and crop residue management, herbicide application techniques, operation and maintenance of sprayers, etc.

The course in soil fertility management will deal with waste recycling, composting techniques, press mud and fly ash in agriculture, vermin-composting technology, storing and packaging of vermin-compost and its application, utility of urban wastes and bio-solids for crop production.

The course in integrate nutrient management will deal with essential nutrients, soil fertility assessment, role of organic manure and compost, etc.

Applications

The courses will commence from July 2009 onwards. Those who can read and write English are eligible to enrol for the course. Applications can be obtained from the Director, Directorate of Open and Distance Learning, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore – 641003; or downloaded from the university’s website www.tnau.ac.in.

For details, call 0422-6611229 / 6611429; or e-mail to odl@tnau.ac.in.

Last Updated on Monday, 20 July 2009 04:22
 


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