III. TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY:

i. Training programmes to farmers and Technical staff:

 

During 2023-24 crop season, Board had organized 156 training programmes to the farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka at different stages of crop growth from Nursery Management to Crop harvesting, curing and on farm storage to create awareness on Good Agricultural Practices. Around 7731 participants (growers/staff) had participated in these training programmes.

         

v  The Scientists of NIPHM, Hyderabad visited Auction Platforms in NLS and KLS regions and imparted training to growers/staff on bio pesticides, Bio fertilizers mass multiplication procedures and use of bio pesticides and Potassium Releasing Bacteria (KRB) formulations in FCV tobacco cultivation. The brief particulars are as follows:

 

v  A two day training programme to field staff was conducted by ITC Research Scientists on 20^th and 21^st April -2023 at Yelwal, Mysuru on recent advances in FCV tobacco cultivation / Good Agricultural Practices and problems being encountered in FCV tobacco farming.

 

v  An interactive session with Managers of Tobacco Board, CTRI Scientists and grower representatives of all soil regions of Andhra Pradesh was conducted by Board on 07.07.2023 at ICAR-CTRI, Rajahmundry, to deliberate on “Soil fertility and health, Fertilizer recommendations in relation to the soil fertility status”.

 

v  In house training programme for two days was conducted by NIPHM Scientists from Hyderabad on “Integrated Pest Management (IPM) & Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) in FCV tobacco cultivation and identification of symptoms of pest and diseases, nutrient deficiency and their management practices” at office of the Auction Superintendent, Chilkunda to Technical staff working in Karnataka on 19.07.2023 and for growers on 20.07.2023.

 

v  A 3 day On Campus training programme was conducted for 15 technical staff (AS/SGO, FO and FA’s) of Andhra Pradesh at National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM), Hyderabad from 14.11.23 to 16.11.23 on (i) Drought mitigation approaches & methods, (ii) Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) and (iii) Natural farming practices/Organic cultivation.

 

v  Exclusively training programmes on Good Agricultural Practices were conducted to educate Scheduled Tribe growers both in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in view of commemorating the birth centenary of Sri Birsa Munda.

 

v  Special training programmes were conducted by the CTRI Scientists at their Research Stations Jeelugumilli (10.01.2024) and Kandukur (18.01.2024) to Field Assistants of Tobacco Board on “Good Agricultural Practices for FCV tobacco production”.

 

v  Tobacco Board has organized a programme on “Capacity building programme for youth entrepreneurship (demo on drone technology) under Mera Yuva Bharat” at Ongole on 12.01.2024, on the occasion of Sri Swami Vivekananda’s 161^st Birth Anniversary, wherein youth were trained about operating of drones for agricultural use especially spraying of pesticides and fertilizers in this programme.

 

v  Tobacco Board took a massive campaign among FCV tobacco farm workers on Ayushman cards (PM-JAY health cards) and educated on enrolment and approximately 2141 farm workers were enrolled in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

 

v  Two days on campus training programme on Good Agricultural Practices was conducted by the CTRI at Research Station, Hunsur to the FCV tobacco growers of Karnataka on 05.03.2024 and 06.03.2024.

 

v  Demonstration of “FCV Tobacco Leaves Stringing Machine” was conducted on 07.03.2024 at CTRI Research Station, Kandukur by  the CIAE, Coimbatore Scientists wherein the Chairman, Tobacco Board, Director, CTRI, Manager (Extension), Tobacco Board, Scientists, Traders and growers have participated.

 

Field level training programmes (3 No’s) on mass multiplication procedure of Bio-pesticides and Bio-fertilizers and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to Field staff were conducted in all soil regions of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Scientists from NIPHM (National Institute of Plant Health Management), Hyderabad were invited as faculty for all the programmes.

 

ii. Publicity material:

 

During 2023-24 crop season,  multi colour pamphlets covering the topics “Management and control of Orobanche parasite”, “Importance of green manure crops raising in FCV tobacco”, “Elimination of Non Tobacco Related Material (NTRM) in FCV tobacco”  and “Recommended Crop Protection Agents(CPAs) and their dosages” were got printed in Telugu language for distribution to growers of Andhra Pradesh state. Pamphlets on Good Agricultural Practices in Kannada language were distributed to growers of Karnataka.

iii. Workshops:

          During 2023-24 crop season, Regional Managers in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka organized workshops on “Good Agricultural Practices in tobacco cultivation” to the growers and staff.

 

iv. Study tours.

 

Tobacco Board had organized study tour to 148 farmers/staff from all the 16 Auction platforms under Andhra Pradesh jurisdiction  to visit ICAR-CTRI, Rajahmundry  on 13.12.2023 & 14.12.2023 on the eve of Platinum Jubilee celebrations and study tour to 123 farmers/staff from all the 10 Auction platforms under Karnataka to visit Green Leaf Threshing Plant of M/s ITC Ltd, Nanjangud during 09.11.23 & 10.11.23 for the benefit of tobacco growers covering all the latest technologies (through exhibition and conference). The FCV tobacco growers of all soil regions in Andhra Pradesh were taken for the programme and growers visited stalls exhibiting latest farming technologies, Agriculture machinery & tools, Aqua culture, Artificial intelligence utilization for precision farming, Agri Nano technology, Irrigation automation, Food processing machinery, Organic agriculture, warehousing and cold storage equipment, Rural innovations, vertical farming & Hydroponics, supply chain logistics, Integrated Pest Management concepts etc., and also participated in conference on latest technologies in agriculture. The growers also visited stalls of ICAR-CTRI and were appraised on the Good Agricultural Practices in FCV tobacco cultivation. Study tour was conducted to educate exclusively women growers of Karnataka on 29.12.2023 and visited Tobacco Leaf Threshing plant at Nanjangud.

 

v. Field Friend Teams:

 

The Tobacco Board has constituted Field Friends teams with Scientists from CTRI, field executives of major companies and Board’s Technical Officers and extended timely advises and suggestions to the growers on different aspects of tobacco cultivation. 

vi. On farm Tests and Experimental Trials:

 

Tobacco Board has implemented “On Farm Tests and Experimental Trials” on impact of Natural Farming mode of FCV tobacco cultivation, varietal trials to test the efficacy of new varieties in comparison with existing varieties and for evaluation of the impact of KRB (Potassium Releasing Bacteria) application on crop quality and yield.

          Board incurred an expenditure of Rs.1.63 lakhs for Karnataka and Rs.2.96 lakhs in Andhra Pradesh towards the financial incentives, extended to these growers as an encouragement for conducting the on farm trials in their fields and also for organizing field day programmes.

          An incentive amount of Rs.5000/- per grower was also extended to 20 growers towards the production of quality produce in trial plots with very low to nil CPA residues.

 

vii. Model Project Area :

 

Board has implemented Model Project Area scheme in 16 villages in Andhra Pradesh  and  11 villages in Karnataka to encourage farmers in these areas to adopt Good Agricultural  Practices to enhance productivity and quality of FCV tobacco in a focused manner. Trade was also involved in developmental activities in MPA villages.

 

Financial assistance / input subsidies from Board are being credited into the individual saving bank accounts of growers through ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’ (DBT) mode.

 viii. Research Projects:

Board has sponsored the following Research Projects on mechanization and Bio- consortia at ICAR-CTRI and ICAR-CIAE in Co-ordination with trade for the benefit of tobacco growers to reduce the cost of cultivation particularly harvesting and curing and to produce CPA residue free tobacco.

• Development and Evaluation of Solar Thermal Energy based FCV tobacco curing systems
• Development and Evaluation of FCV tobacco Leaves Stringing Machine
• Evaluation of Loose Leaf Barn for reducing the wood fuel consumption  in FCV tobacco curing
• Evaluation of Bio-Consortia for nutrient supplementation, nematode / disease control for enhancing productivity and quality of FCV tobacco.
• Evaluation of leaf holding spike rod developed by Board to reduce the labour component in tobacco stringing & destringing operations.