Shillong, June 1: The month-long national flagship programme “Khet Bachao Abhiyan” was launched on Monday at ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region in Umiam, marking a renewed emphasis on soil conservation and sustainable agriculture.
The launch, organised by ICAR-KVK Ri Bhoi, was graced by Dr. G. Kadirvel, Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Rodonald Majaw (Project Manager, Meghalaya Basin Management Agency), and community leaders including Duruth Majaw (State President, Kisan Morcha), Richard Lyngdoh (President, Kisan Morcha, Umroi) and Donlang Nongbri (State General Secretary, Kisan Morcha).
The programme aims to scale these techniques across the district, strengthening livelihoods while conserving precious soil resources.
Following the launch, the KVK conducted a focused training programme titled “Training Programme on Green Manuring and Natural Farming for Sustainable Soil Health,” which brought together 120 farmers from Ri Bhoi.
The hands-on session combined classroom briefings with field demonstrations to equip participants with low-cost, science-backed practices that restore soil fertility, increase organic matter and reduce dependence on chemical inputs.
Practical modules covered crop selection, sowing windows, biomass incorporation, and management to maximize nutrient release and minimize nutrient losses.
Natural farming components focused on on-farm inputs and ecological approaches: preparing and applying compost, Jeevamrit, and fermented plant extracts; reducing synthetic fertilizers and pesticides; and adopting crop rotations and intercropping to break pest cycles and improve resilience.
Sessions highlighted how these methods increase water retention, reduce erosion on Ri Bhoi’s slopes, and raise long-term productivity.
Participants expressed optimism, citing immediate applicability and reduced input costs. KVK officials committed to follow-up field visits, demonstration plots and advisory support throughout June’s campaign to convert training into sustained practice.
