Anantnag :The Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (CIPMC), Srinagar, in collaboration with the State Agriculture Department, Anantnag, organized a “Khet BachaoAbhiyaan” at Zone Zirpara, Bijbehara, Anantnag, Monday.
During the programme, Dr. Haroon Rashid Hakla, APPO (PP), sensitized farmers about the importance of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices for effective, safe and eco-friendly crop protection. He also demonstrated the functioning and use of the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) Mobile App to help farmers identify and monitor pest-related problems.
The farmers were educated about the importance of 100% seed treatment using Trichoderma to protect crops from soil-borne diseases. Practical demonstrations were also conducted on the use of sticky traps, delta traps and botanical pesticides such as Neem Oil for effective pest management. Special emphasis was laid on the conservation of beneficial insects and natural enemies of crop pests to maintain ecological balance.
Dr.Hakla also explained how farmers can identify genuine and quality pesticides by referring to the list of pesticides approved by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC). He highlighted the importance of following recommended safety precautions while handling and applying pesticides to avoid harmful effects on human health and the environment.
The programme also included an interactive session in which farmers actively participated and raised various field-related issues and concerns. The resource persons addressed their queries through practical demonstrations and simple, easy-to-understand explanations.
The campaign aimed to promote scientific and sustainable pest management practices, discourage the use of spurious and unapproved pesticides, and encourage farmers to adopt safe, responsible and environmentally friendly methods of crop protection.
Through such awareness programmes, CIPMC, Srinagar, and the State Agriculture Department reaffirmed their commitment to empowering farmers with scientific knowledge and promoting sustainable agriculture.
The programme was attended by Muzaffar Ahmed Mir, JAEO; Ruhilla Shabir, AEA, and Imran Shafi Malik, AEA, from the State Agriculture Department, Zone Zirpara, Bijbehara.
