GRISERV to help poor farmers for increasing their agri yields

Rajkot, Sep 15 (UNI) Monsanto has partnered with Gujarat Rural Institute for Socio-Economic Reconstruction, Vadodara (GRISERV) to undertake a project to educate farmers about the benefits of growing 'Bollgard' cotton in Rajkot.

The project comprised training sessions for farmers to bring about the value of 'Bollgard' technology and the socio-economic benefits it gives to the resource-limited farmers, an official press release said.

GRISERV is known for its mission to upgrade the lives of the rural poor.

Mr J P Satashia of Monsanto managed to convince GRISERV of the role 'Bollgard' technology could play in reducing farmer's cost of cultivation by reducing pesticide use and thereby increasing the yield.

Mr Satashia trained the GRISERV project officers, who in turn trained 180 village opinion leaders about 'Bollgard' and 'Bollgard-II' cotton seeds and crop management techniques, the release informed.

The project officers also conducted 40 field days, covering 75 villages and 2,800 farmers.

This project has caught international attention and an agriculture delegation from Uganda visited the area to see the results and interact with the farmers, the release added.

GRISERV Senior Project Officer Girishbhai Patel said, ''With the systematic implementation of the education programme on 'Bollgard' and 'Bollgard-II' technologies, farmers have doubled their cotton production to 18-20 quintals per acre in 2006 as compared to the 8-10 quintals per acre in 2005.

UNI