Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) is toiling hard these days to make a last ditch effort urging farmers to cut their dependence on fire before sowing of next crop these days.To make farmers aware of the disadvantages of burning paddy stubble, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Mansa has decided to target small and marginal farmers to make them aware of the dangerous drawbacks of burning the stubble by holding exhibitions of direct paddy sowing, publicity and organizing camps. Assistant Director of KVK-Khokhar Khurd-Dr. Gurjinderpal Singh Sodhi said that farmers are being encouraged by them to adopt the natural way of farming by using the Happy seeder. He said that farmers are advised not to burn the paddy stubble as it leaves a detrimental impact upon the soil and crop."KVK has dispatched Happy seeders to make farmers of four villagers aware of the appropriate usage of this machine to get rid of stubble burning. Experts from our Kendra would teach the technique of direct sowing to farmers on 500 acres of agricultural land," Sodhi said.
He said that they have adopted two villages-Makha and Burj Dhillwan of the district for this purpose.Sodhi stated that KVK has got immense response from the farmers over the use of this technique and their experts have received a large number of queries in this regard from nearby villages.He said that KVK has initiated this project under direct supervision on PAU (Punjab Agriculture University), Ludhiana.He said that before starting the exhibition in these villages, a direct dialogue has also been initiated among the villagers by holding seminars wherein they were made aware of the bad consequences of burning wheat and paddy stubble.He said that the farmers were informed about the financial burden of burning stubble in the form of extra pesticides as the friendly insects and nutrients are lost in the fire.He said that a large number of villagers from Mansa villages have also come forwards to pledge against the burning of stubble. He added that the farmers are told to share the Happy seeder machines collectively to reduce the dependence of farmers on fire.