Case Studies on Promotion of Pulses through Seed Production among Farming Community

In a notion to enhance pulses production and per capita consumption of pulses among the farmers of India, the central government implemented under NFSM “Creation of seed hubs for increasing indigenous production of pulses in India” during 2016-17. Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at Sirugamani, Tiruchirappalli district is a pioneer knowledge resource centre imparting latest technologies from seed to market in agricultural crops, horticultural crops and in allied sectors to farming community of Tiruchirappalli district. As a seed hub centre, through technical backstopping and interventions of KVK, Tiruchirappalli promoted new varieties like VBN 6 and VBN 8 in black gram, CO 8 in green gram and CO (Rg) 7 in red gram among the farmers of Tiruchirappalli and nearby districts. Focus group discussions, group meetings, field visits, off campus trainings and cluster frontline demonstrations were conducted to motivate the farmers for pure pulse crops cultivation from 2016 onwards. During 2017 and 2018, 72 farmers of Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Cuddalore, Perambalur and Pudukkottai districts were registered for seed production under various categories of Foundation stage I, Foundation stage II and Certified stage. The farmers got higher yield as sole crop than rice fallow pulse crop and average net returns of Rs.75000/- per hectare. In 2019-20, 95 farmers were registered for black gram VBN 8 seed production which showed an increasing trend in area with increasing production. Same year 832 kg per acre production in black gram was witnessed by a young enthusiastic farmer. Horizontal spread of black gram seed production took a fast drive in triggering the interests of wide categories of farmers. Many successful farmers obtained higher yields than local varieties. Through farmer participatory mode till date produced 548 quintals of black gram, 0.23 quintals of green gram and 4.81 quintals of red gram. Through mass media, newspapers, All India Radio and Doordharshan, TNAU agricultural magazine- Uzhavarin Valarum Velanmai, exhibitions, campaigns and trainings promoted the importance of cultivation of pulses as pure crop and increased the area of adoption. Documented two successful cases of farmers in black gram for achieving higher yields than local varieties. Satisfactory feedback was received from the farmers on the new varieties and under this scheme through buy back procurement policy. At present MOU is made for the supply of seeds to Department of Agriculture throughout Tamil Nadu under this scheme.