AGARTALA, June 13 (TIWN): CAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Tripura Centre distributed Murrah buffaloes, Black Bengal goats, Hampshire crossbred pigs and Power tiller among the farmers on 12th June, Sunday, 2016 at Lembucherra, West Tripura.

Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resource Development, Aghore Debbarma graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Dr. S.V. Ngachan, Director of ICAR Research Complex for NEH region, Umium, Meghalaya chaired the programme.

More than 100 farmers from different districts of Tripura were present as beneficiaries in the event. At the outset, Dr. K.K. Barman, Joint Director I/C, ICAR, Tripura Centre welcomed Minister Aghore Debbarma.

Joint Director I/C of ICAR, Tripura centre welcomed all the dignitaries, scientists, farmers, officials of different sister departments including KVK, NABARD, press and media personals, while narrated the need and importance of the programme for the farmers in this region.

Dr. M. Sarkar, Director, Animal Resource Development Department, Govt. of Tripura acknowledged the whole ICAR team for providing different inputs, particularly Murrah buffaloes to the farmers and also assured that his department would extend full support and necessary cooperation in implementing various activities in the field of Animal Husbandry in the villages.

Dr. M. Datta, the former Joint Director, ICAR, Tripura Centre narrated the research achievement on buffalo farming at ICAR, Tripura Centre and appreciated to reach at the farmer’s field with Murrah buffaloes for the first time in Tripura.

He emphasized to make the farmers more empowered and prosperous through utilizing scientific knowledge and using good and quality planting materials, animals, poultry birds and fishes.

Dr. S.V. Ngachan, Director of ICAR Research Complex for NEH region, Umium, Meghalaya highlighted lab to land programme of ICAR, Tripura Centre in the area of new varieties of various crops, good quality planting materials, cattle, buffaloes, poultry birds and fishes.

He stressed upon research and development on organic farming, particularly for pineapple production as well as climate resilient crop and animal varieties under climate change scenario. He emphasized the need for enhancement of per hectare productivity and farming in an integrated manner with crops, livestock and fish production.  

Agriculture MinisterAghore Debbarma appreciated ICAR, Tripura Centre for organizing such programme to reach to the farmers and disseminate technologies to the farmers across the state. He called upon the farmers to make farming community more productive and prosperous through new science and technology interventions for augmenting production of food grains, milk, meat, eggs etc and ensuring food security in the state.

Minister depicted the scopes of income generation from agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries resources in the light of applying improved technology for strengthen capabilities of the farmers and enhancement of the profits by the farmers. In this programme, ICAR, Tripura Centre provided 16 Murrah buffaloes, 20 Black Bengal goats, 6 Hampshire crossbred pigs and 3 power tillers to the tribal farmers in different districts of Tripura.

The programme ended with the vote of thanks by Dr. Avijit Haldar, Principal Scientist (Animal Reproduction) of ICAR, Tripura Centre. The distribution of various farming inputs was sponsored by Tribal Sub Plan. ICAR, Tripura Centre provided 16 Murrah buffaloes to the tribal farmers in Jalema Simnacherra of Killa, Gomoti district to study the performance of Murrah buffaloes at the farmer’s field conditions after continuous 3 years research at ICAR Livestock farm, Lembucherra, West Tripura. The whole event created huge enthusiasm among the farmers and thus brought a great impact on farming community in the state.