Women farmers and extension agents from Grameen Mitra learn about sustainable rice production systems

Small scale entrepereneurs, farmers and extension agents, including a majority of women leaders from Grameen Mitra Initiative of Grameen Foundation India, participated in a capacity development training, The topics centered around digital innovation, sustainable production technology, and best management practices for rice, which aims to transform the agriculture system in Eastern Uttar Presdesh, India.

The training, entitled Escalating digital innovation for sustainable rice production system, was conducted by the International Rce Research Institute (IRRI) Education in collaboration with the Digital Tools Cluster of IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) from 20th to 21st July, 2022 in Varanasi. Using the Training of Trainers model, the program aimed to  coach trainers with less experienced or limited skiils so they can better assist more than 5,000 farmers in 10 districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh for the 2022 kharif season.

The pogram included best management practices for climate-resilient and sustainable rice production, agronomic management for conservation agriculture systems, and identifying crop problems and generating actionable advice on how to manage them through the diagnostics tools Rice-Wheat Crop Manager and Rice Doctor. Additionally, several low-cost insect and pest management options, and Agri-Extension Methodologies -Transfer of Technology to the Field/Farmers were discussed and presented for rice-based cropping systems. The particpants also visited natural farming trials and explored multiple low-cost bio inputs for improving soil carbon and the fertility of the soils. 

At the end of the program, the participants expressed confidence in generating recommendations from the digital tools and applications and promised to propagate it to their fellow farmers in their districts.

The training was organized under the Grameen Foundation’s Market Access eNabled by Digital Innovation Project funded by the Walmart Foundation. IRRI and the Grameen Foundation seeks to further strengthen the farming systems in Easter Uttar Pradesh through more similar trainings for steakholders in the region.

The program was attended by Dr. Sudhanshu Singh, Director, ISARC, Mr. Rajni Kant Prasad, Project Director, Grameen Foundation, Mr. Gopesh Tewari, Head, IRRI Education, and Dr. Ajay Kumar Mishra, Associate Scientist-Soil Science. 

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