Agartala, 15th October 2026 : Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sepahijala, under the Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal, in collaboration with ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru, and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, organised an input distribution-cum-demonstration programme on scientific vegetable production at Kathalia GP under Kathalia block in Sepahijala district on Thursday.
The initiative aimed to encourage farmers to adopt improved vegetable varieties developed by ICAR-IIHR and scientific cultivation techniques to enhance productivity, improve crop quality and increase farm income.
The programme was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Anupam Mishra, Vice-Chancellor of CAU, Imphal, along with Dr. Tusar Kanti Behera, Director of ICAR-IIHR; Dr. A.K. Mohanty, Director of ATARI, Zone-VII, Umiam, Meghalaya; Dr. Ng. Iboyaima Singh, Director of Extension Education, CAU; Prof. A.B. Patel, Dean of the College of Fisheries, Lembucherra; Dr. T. Sakthivel, Principal Scientist at ICAR-IIHR; and Dr. Shatabhisa Sarkar, Senior Scientist and Head of KVK-Sepahijala.
The programme was inaugurated in the presence of Kathalia Block Chairperson Mithu Rani Das, who urged farmers to adopt improved vegetable varieties and scientific cultivation practices for better yields and higher returns. Dr. Atheequlla G.A., Senior Scientist (Agricultural Extension) at ICAR-IIHR, joined virtually, while Agriculture Superintendent Ripon Sarkar and other agriculture officials also attended.
During the technical session, Dr. Utpal Dey, Subject Matter Specialist (Plant Protection) at KVK-Sepahijala, explained the recommended cultivation practices for different vegetable varieties developed by ICAR-IIHR. His presentation covered field preparation, timely sowing, crop management, identification of major pests and diseases, and the use of pheromone and insect light traps.
Emphasising sustainable farming, he highlighted the importance of ecologically based integrated pest management (IPM) to minimise crop losses and reduce dependence on inappropriate pest-control measures. A PowerPoint presentation was used to explain the recommended techniques in a practical and farmer-friendly manner.
Tomato seeds were distributed among participating farmers to facilitate the adoption and field-level demonstration of improved varieties. The programme, coordinated by Dr. Utpal Dey, is expected to strengthen farmers’ technical knowledge and promote sustainable vegetable production and effective pest management in the region.
