VARANASI, India (16 May 2023) – A three-day visit for senior scientists and extension personnel from Assam Agricultural University (AAU) was organized at the IRRI South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), Varanasi on May 11-13. The visit aimed to foster learning opportunities and strengthen existing linkages related to ongoing interventions of the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (APART) Project. The delegates from AAU engaged with ISARC scientists and discussed recent trends in precision agriculture, geographic information systems (GIS), mechanization, postharvest management, and seed systems. The delegation team included different Heads of the Department of AAU, scientists, and heads of Krishi Vigyan Kendras of Assam.
“The IRRI team will soon start working on a policy paper on crop intensification and rice-fallow to take this forward, in order to harness the potential of rice-fallow areas in Assam,” said ISARC Director, Dr. Sudhanshu Singh.
The team also met with a delegation from the Institute of Agricultural Science (IAgSc) of the Banaras Hindu University. The meeting allowed them to discuss the potential benefits of Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) in Assam.
Since 2018, the AAU and Department of Agriculture of the Government of Assam, with the technical support of IRRI, have been implementing various activities in the paddy value chain to increase the productivity and profitability of Assam smallholder farmers. Capacity building of key stakeholders is IRRI’s principal mandate under the APART project.
Dr. Kalyan Pathak, Head of the Department of Agronomy of AAU shared, “ISARC is a prime example of the heights one can achieve when science and innovation coincide. This exposure visit has been a learning experience and we would appreciate and welcome opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing through ISARC. ”
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