Nagaland team participated in farmers’ exposure visit at ICAR–IIPR Kanpur

A 10-member team from Nagaland, representing five districts, participated in a three-day Farmers’ Exposure Visit-cum-Field Training Programme at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)–Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur, from February 24 to 26.
The team comprised three farmers from Peren, two from Kohima, and one each from Phek, Mon and Mokokchung districts, along with two Ph.D. scholars from the Department of Botany, Kohima Science College, Jotsoma (KSCJ).
Organised by the Department of Botany, KSCJ under the guidance of Dr. Samadangla Ao, the programme was sponsored by ICAR–IIPR, Kanpur under the initiative “Promotion of Pulses in Northeast Hill Region–Nagaland.”
During the visit, the team was guided by Dr. D.P. Patel (Nodal Officer, NER) and Dr. Anup Chandra (Co-Nodal Officer, NER). Participants toured research farms of chickpea, lentil, field pea, pigeon pea and rajma grown under different experimental conditions. Dr. Patel explained crop improvement programmes, varietal testing, disease and pest resistance, drought tolerance, and diverse cropping systems and management practices.
Six scientists delivered presentations on improved varieties of chickpea, pigeon pea and field pea, rabi pulse pest and disease management, and chickpea-based start-ups. The team also interacted with IIPR Director Dr. G.P. Dixit and discussed the potential and challenges of rabi pulse cultivation in Nagaland.
The participants further visited the Agri-Engineering Division and the Agri-Business Incubation Centre, where engineers and scientists demonstrated advanced farm machinery, drones and various start-up products supported by the institute.
The exposure visit concluded with a tour of the historic Taj Mahal in Agra.