Nearly 20 delegates from North Bengal Agriculture University’s agricultural outreach stations and several local farmers attended a conservation agriculture (conservation agriculture) traveling training seminar in India during 29-30 October 2009.
At a field owned by farmer Paras Nath and located in Paghra village of the Samastipur District, presenters explained laser-land leveling, zero-tillage, and bed planting. The first presenter, Sanjeev Kumar, service engineer from the laser manufacturing company Leica, Elcom Technologies Pvt Limited, in Gurgaon, India, described the use of the laser system and provided hands-on training for laser-land leveling, a practice that improves productivity and conserves irrigation water. Next, CIMMYT agronomist Raj Kumar demonstrated zero-till planting for lentils and bed planting for maize.
Participants then traveled to Rajendra Agriculture University’s (RAU), Pusa Farm, where they saw CA-based longterm experimental trials of rice-wheat and rice-maize systems. Following this, the delegation visited participatory trials of zero-till rice and listened to additional CA information and herbicide application techniques presented by CSISA hub manager Ravi Gopal. Finally, S. Chowdhury, CIMMYT seed production specialist, spoke about new wheat varieties suitable for the eastern Indo- Gangetic Plains.
