ICAR- KVK, N&M Andaman (CIARI) organized three day training programme on “Use of Women Friendly Agricultural Implements” at Dharmapur community Hall under Gram Panchayat Shivapuram from 29th December, 2023 to 1st January, 2024 for practicing farmers and farm women. The training was inaugurated by Shri. Venkateswara Rao, Pradhan, Shivapuram Gram Panchayat along with PRI members Shri. B.Vijayan Nair and Shri. Jobi. In his inaugural address, the village head appreciated the efforts of KVK and ICAR- CIARI in tailoring such special training programme especially for farm women and urged the farmer and farm women avail the benefits of trainings and also motivated them to form self-help groups to avail the benefits of different Government schemes.
Dr.V. Damodaran, Sr. Scientist and Head, ICAR-KVK, Nimbudera highlighted about KVK mandates and focused the importance of women in present agriculture scenario and appraised them about the special women friendly agricultural tools and equipments for day to day farm activities. He also motivated women to come forward to adopt different subsidiary enterprises viz., mushroom production, beekeeping, animal husbandry, poultry farming in the existing plantation based system for effective utilization of resources and get maximum profitability in sustainable manner.
Shri.. B. Vijayan Nair, PRI member also expressed his happiness for organizing such trainings and asked the trainees to utilize such opportunities to learn the recent progress and avenues in modern agriculture. Thereafter, Er. Manoj Kumar, SMS, KVK, conducted a pre-training assessment to know the level about the usage of farm equipments in their fields.
Late in three days long technical sessions various aspects viz the role of women in agricultural work, empowerment of women through women-friendly agricultural equipment and tools to reduce drudgery, availability of agricultural implements and machines in the market, safety precautions to be followed during the use of advanced agricultural equipment, importance of custom hiring center to promote farm mechanization etc were dealt in details by the KVK recourse persons. Later demonstration on hand operated equipment was arranged to the trainees. A total of 32 participants including12 women were benefitted from the training. The training was organized by Er. Manoj Kumar SMS Agril. Engg. under the supervision of Dr. V. Damodaran, Sr. Scientist & Head and overall guidance of Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director, CIARI, Port Blair.