CAZRI in Bikaner has started a three-day training on Moringa-based agriculture for farmers. Experts claim this system can double farmers' income and provide them with financial stability.
A significant initiative has been undertaken for farmers at the Regional Research Center of the Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), an institution under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), in Bikaner. A three-day farmer skill development training program on the 'Moringa-based agricultural system' was inaugurated here.
This program is being organized under a project funded by NABARD. Its main objective is to encourage farmers to adopt the Moringa-based agricultural system, enabling them to become sustainable and economically empowered.
Dr. N.K. Sharma, Director of Research at Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner, attended the inauguration ceremony as the chief guest. Addressing the farmers, he said that the Moringa-based agricultural system could become a strong medium for income and nutritional security for the farmers of Western Rajasthan.
Dr. Sharma emphasized that by adopting this system, farmers can double their income. He described Moringa as a multi-purpose and highly beneficial tree, with every part being useful.
Diverse Uses of Moringa
He explained that Moringa's seeds, leaves, root, stem, bark, and wood are used in food, medicine, agriculture, animal husbandry, water purification, and various industrial applications. This makes it an extremely valuable crop.
Beneficial for Livestock Too
Dr. Sharma also mentioned that Moringa leaves are very useful as animal feed. Their consumption not only improves the health of the animals but also increases milk and meat production. He urged farmers to pay special attention to the value addition of Moringa so that they can earn additional income by preparing its various products.
Dr. Navratna Panwar, President of CAZRI, stated that this project will prove to be extremely beneficial for the farmers of Bikaner district. He called upon the farmers to move towards economic stability by adopting this system.
He explained that Moringa is a multi-purpose plant used both as food and medicine. Besides being highly nutritious, it also has the capacity for high biomass production, making it an ideal choice for farmers.
Free Saplings for Farmers
The main coordinator of the program, Dr. Virbal, providing details of the training, said that 25 farmers from various tehsils of Bikaner district are participating. He made an important announcement that after the training, each participating farmer will be provided with 100 Moringa saplings free of cost.
Dr. Virbal also informed that under this project, more than 500 farmers in the district have already been trained, and saplings are being continuously distributed to interested farmers. During the program, farmers were also given practical information on advanced cultivation, plant production, value addition, and marketing of Moringa. Senior technical officers of CAZRI, Dr. Manoj Gora and Dr. Sitaram Jat, also provided technical support.
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