Patna, December 21st 2024, Vikas Kumar Ojha: The Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (CIPMC), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, organized a one-day training session for progressive farmers on the use of the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) app. The event took place at the CIPMC office in Patna on Saturday, December 21, 2024, during which farmers were trained and assisted in downloading the NPSS app on their mobile phones.
Training Highlights
The program was conducted under the leadership of Vivek Kant Gupta, Plant Protection Officer, and Dr. Pramod Kumar, Joint Director, with support from Mukesh Kumar, Deputy Director, and Rahul Kumar, Assistant Director of Plant Protection at Krishi Bhawan, Mithapur, Patna. Additional experts present included Syed Ahsan Sajjad, Rajesh Yadav, and Sandeep Kumar Dwivedi, all Assistant Plant Protection Officers.
Key Topics Covered
The training covered a wide range of topics to empower farmers with advanced pest management techniques and enhance agricultural productivity:
- NPSS App Usage and Importance: Participants were introduced to the functionality and significance of the NPSS app in pest monitoring and crop safety.
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Farmers learned about the principles, dimensions, and importance of IPM for sustainable farming practices.
- Seed Treatment Demonstrations: Techniques for treating seeds using Trichoderma were showcased.
- Safe and Balanced Use of Pesticides: Detailed discussions were held on the potential risks of pesticide misuse, human health impacts, and adherence to pesticide labels and color codes.
- Mechanical Pest Control Methods: Practical demonstrations of tools like yellow and blue sticky traps, pheromone traps, fruit fly traps, and light traps were conducted.
- Biological Control Measures: The importance of neem-based and other botanical pesticides was explained, along with methods for identifying beneficial and harmful insects.
- Crop-Specific Pest Identification: Farmers were educated about identifying common pests and diseases in various crops to facilitate timely and effective control measures.
Outcomes and Farmer Benefits
By the end of the training, participants gained a comprehensive understanding of pest surveillance and management. The hands-on demonstrations and app-based solutions provided farmers with modern tools to safeguard their crops while promoting eco-friendly practices. The initiative aims to ensure better crop yields, reduce losses due to pests, and encourage sustainable agriculture across the region.
