TNAU, ITC to train farmers on water consumption methods
tnn | Jan 4, 2019, 00:59 ISTCoimbatore: The water technology centre of Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ITC Limited on Thursday in the city to train farmers of Karamadai block in efficient water consumption techniques.
The MoU, signed under ITC’s ‘Mission Sunehra Kal’, aims at improving rural livelihood. “We mainly want to demonstrate and promote water efficient technologies among farmers in upper Bhavani river basin, especially in Karamadai block,” said executive manager of ITC M Dinesh. TNAU had started training farmers two months ago.
Citing a report of the central groundwater board, Dinesh said water resources in Karamadai block would reach overexploited range by 2020 if the current consumption continues, though the block is in safe zone as of now. Coimbatore was already in critical zone, he added.
“To prevent this, we, in association with TNAU, who have good rapport with farmers, had decided to introduce water efficient technologies in the block,” Dinesh said. “We have adopted multi stakeholder approach, in which many companies would assist in multiple blocks, as the funding of entire upper Bhavani region is difficult for a company,” he added.
Pointing out that bananas and coconuts are major crops in the block, Dinesh said, “Farmers are using between 14,000 and 15,000 cubic metre of water for one cycle of a banana plant, where only 7,000 to 8,000 cubic metre of water is required.”
As per the MoU, TNAU would demonstrate the technologies, provide evidence of water saving method as well as improvement in productivity and train the farmers.
TNAU had conducted 12 sessions to farmers in the block in the past two months. “About 3,000 farmers were trained in practices like drip irrigation, ring bunds and mulching. These methods have been adopted in 3,300 acres of coconut and banana plantations so far. This has saved 25% to 40% of water usually used and increased the productivity by 20%,” Dinesh said.
The MoU was signed by director of water technology centre BJ Pandian and district head of ITC’s packaging and specialty paper unit Pranav Sharma.
The MoU, signed under ITC’s ‘Mission Sunehra Kal’, aims at improving rural livelihood. “We mainly want to demonstrate and promote water efficient technologies among farmers in upper Bhavani river basin, especially in Karamadai block,” said executive manager of ITC M Dinesh. TNAU had started training farmers two months ago.
Citing a report of the central groundwater board, Dinesh said water resources in Karamadai block would reach overexploited range by 2020 if the current consumption continues, though the block is in safe zone as of now. Coimbatore was already in critical zone, he added.
“To prevent this, we, in association with TNAU, who have good rapport with farmers, had decided to introduce water efficient technologies in the block,” Dinesh said. “We have adopted multi stakeholder approach, in which many companies would assist in multiple blocks, as the funding of entire upper Bhavani region is difficult for a company,” he added.
Pointing out that bananas and coconuts are major crops in the block, Dinesh said, “Farmers are using between 14,000 and 15,000 cubic metre of water for one cycle of a banana plant, where only 7,000 to 8,000 cubic metre of water is required.”
As per the MoU, TNAU would demonstrate the technologies, provide evidence of water saving method as well as improvement in productivity and train the farmers.
TNAU had conducted 12 sessions to farmers in the block in the past two months. “About 3,000 farmers were trained in practices like drip irrigation, ring bunds and mulching. These methods have been adopted in 3,300 acres of coconut and banana plantations so far. This has saved 25% to 40% of water usually used and increased the productivity by 20%,” Dinesh said.
The MoU was signed by director of water technology centre BJ Pandian and district head of ITC’s packaging and specialty paper unit Pranav Sharma.
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