Extension

Achievements under Farmer FIRST Project:

Farmer FIRST project has been implemented in the year of 2016 at ICAR-NIBSM to improve the tribal farmer's livelihood through implementing agricultural enterprises integration in rice fallow. The cluster of five tribal villages namely Bakla, Kharaha, Bamhani. Kurraha and Kharri in the Kasdol block of Baloda Bazar district, Chhattisgarh has been adopted for this programme.
Total five modules were identified and implemented viz. crop based module, livestock based module, enterprise based module, horticulture based module and NRM based module. More than, 500 tribal farm families benefitted under this programme. Under each module, interventions are selected based on the matrix ranking and agro-ecosystem analysis.
As a result, the interventions such as goat farming with Sirohi, Jamnapari and Barbari breeds, backyard poultry farming with Kadaknath breed, oyster mushroom production, two Farmer Communication Centre (FCCs), low cost Azolla production, nutritional home garden through IIHR/TNAU vegetable seed kit, drudgery reduction equipment for women farmers through five Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs), three Agro Processing Centres (APCs), low-cost polyhouse with drip and poly-mulching for vegetable production and eco-friendly pest management technologies played vital role in the additional income generation and brought tangible changes in the socio-economic condition of tribal farming community.
In addition, five Farmers Interest Group (FIGs) has been created to improve the commodity basedenterprises. In economic terms, additional income of Rs. 9,850, Rs.59, 192, Rs.12, 722, Rs. 14,000 and Rs.3650 per farm family has been generated through the introduction of crop, livestock, horticulture, enterprise and NRM based modules respectively. In 2019, the sum of Rs. 92,31,708 has been generated by the farming community from different enterprises.
As a social impact, nearly 24% of migration rate reduced from the adopted villages by this initiative. FFP initiatives attracted 37% of rural youth in agricultural activities in the adopted villages.
Overall, 24 - 30% of knowledge gain observed among tribal farmers in the selected technologies by the intervention of FCCs, Agricultural Film Shows, Capacity building programmes and social media groups.
Significant rate of skill acquisition observed in the adopted technologies such as scientific vegetable production, zero tillage, livestock production and eco-friendly plant protection measures.
Woman farmer’s drudgery reduced through village level CHCs. Tribal farm families’ nutritional level enhanced through nutritional home gardening with IIHR/TNAU seed kits.
Total 39 agricultural interventions introduced and sustained in the farmer’s field. Cropping intensity has been increased by 120% in the adopted villages. Backward and forwarded production linkages established for crop, livestock and horticulture enterprises.
Market linkages established for different commodities produced under this project for the sustainability of the disseminated technologies.
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Achievements under DBT’s Foldscope Project:

Under this project, we have explored the socio-economic status, knowledge level of tribal farmers on zoonotic diseases and tribal farmer’s attitude/perception towards foldscope microscopy.
Total 279 samples collected from different sources to screen the zoonotic and other relevant pathogens. Further, the clinical samples were processed; Fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillin sp., and Rhizopus spp.), pathogenic yeast (Candida spp.), Bacteria (E. coli, Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp. and Proteus spp.) were isolated and observed through foldscope microscopy.
As a field application, foldscope identified as a novel tool to test the semen quality in straw provided for Artificial Insemination (AI) of cattle at field level. This intervention has the significant scope to increase the conception rate in cattle; which will pave the way for successful grading up of indigenous cattle.
Total 146 (images/videos) permanent slides from plant /animal /microorganism /insect samples observed and documented through foldscope.
As a capacity building initiative, total number of 19 events organised on foldscope demonstration cum hands-on training, awareness campaign on personal hygiene and zoonotic diseases to tribal farmers and school students.
Totally, 846 participants were benefitted from this initiative. Seven rural youths are trained at field level to demonstrate the foldscope microscopy to the needy people.
More than 30 types of organisms observed under Foldscope microscopy. The results are published in the online platform MICROCOSMOS Foldscope Community View details

Achievements under Institute Project:

Effectiveness of Interactive Videos (IVs) of biotic stress management in terms of knowledge gain were analysed. It is observed that all the groups from Group 1 to Group 10 had effective in terms of knowledge gain by the IVs. Further, maximum knowledge gain was observed from the Group 2 and Group 4 had lowest. Among the ten groups, four groups viz., group 2,7,8,10, had significant difference in knowledge gain even though farmers from these villages have scored low mean pre-knowledge score. This might be due to the fact that their close proximity with KVK. Overall knowledge gain ranges from 59.51 percent to 74.93 percent was observed in the study area. Variation in knowledge gain indicates that the farmers having different level of knowledge level in dairy farming practices. Moreover, the highly significant 't' value confirmingstatistically that the treatment by IVs was evident for considerable knowledge gain among the respondents.
Lathyrus info (Mobile Application) has been developedand tested. Further, placed in ICAR’s Krishi Portal and Google’s Play store for public access.
Interactive Educational Multimedia Module on Biotic Stress Management in Rice and Lathyrus has been developed and tested for its effectiveness. Further, the data base installed at Farmers Communication Center for mass access.