WBCADC gets experts to train Bankura famers in alternative crop cultivation
Kolkata: The Sonamukhi project of West Bengal Comprehensive Area Development (WBCADC) has roped in experts of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (BCKV) for training farmers on how to grow alternative crops in the backdrop of flood like situation causing damage to agriculture in parts of Bankura district.
Due to heavy rainfall coupled with water release from DVC, six blocks in Bankura are affected, including four in the lower Damodar basin area — Indus, Patrasayer, Sonamukhi and Barjora — and another two in the upper Damodar namely Saltora and Mejia.
“The flood water contaminates the quality of soil. Hence, farmers were apprised of the method using which they can conduct the soil test to determine the kind of bacteria affecting a particular patch of land and accordingly take measures for purification. Leaflets were circulated among them regarding the measures they need to take before starting agriculture on such inundated lands,” said Suvasish Batabyal, chairman of Sonamukhi project. WBCADC is an organisation under the Panchayats and Rural Development department.
As part of alternative agriculture, the farmers were advised to cultivate different types of spinach which can grow within a month. Chilli and tomato seeds were distributed as these can be cultivated in a short span of time. Seeds of cauliflower and brinjal will also be distributed with the winter season to follow autumn. Flower cultivation was also hit badly. The quantum of paddy loss is not high but drones have been deployed for spraying insecticides in such land where paddy cultivation suffered. The inundation also contributed to the proliferation of snakes. Chemicals are being sprayed to ward them off from agricultural lands. The Food Processing Industries and Horticulture department will also be assisting the farmers to compensate for the loss.
The Agriculture department will be holding camps in different flood affected areas for helping farmers enroll in the Bangla Shasya Bima (BSB) scheme. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directed to ensure not a single farmer who suffered crop damages due to flood is left out.
