DSR technique a hit among Samrala block farmers

Lovleen Bains

Doraha, May 24

Farmers of the Samrala block are steadily adopting the DSR technique for paddy cultivation under the guidance and mentorship of the scientists of krishi vigyan kendra (KVK) here.

Sukhjit Singh Waraich, a progressive farmer from Diwala village, who made the first trial of DSR in 2016 proudly asserts, “I planted paddy by DRS technique on one acre of land in 2016 and got a high yield by watering the field just five times in the season. Thereafter, other farmers, Satjit Singh and Kuljit Singh, followed suit the next year and the number added further in the third year. This year we shall try on 30 to 40 acres,” he added.

Swarnjeet Singh of Ghulal village said, “I remained in constant touch with experts of KVK, Samrala, who guided me at every step and together it turned out to be a successful project. The problem of weed germination, which the farmers generally complain of, can be easily controlled by making use of weedicides at the proper time and in proper measure. One thing where the farmers generally falter is that they just rush to adopt the technique without adequate know-how and land in trouble.”

“The DSR technique saves groundwater as the crop sown this way does not require frequent irrigation. Above all, it comes to the rescue of the farmers at the time of labour shortage,” Baldev Singh of Rajewal village and Gurdeep Singh of Burma village collectively opined. They are following the DSR technique successfully for the past two years.

Deputy Director KVK Samrala Dr G S Makkar when contacted said, “There is a definite change in the mindset of the farmers who are able to foresee the sorry state of affairs, when the state would be plunged into water crisis, in case they continue with the same traditional methods of sowing. Our team of agri- scientists is educating them at their door step to adopt DSR technique.”

Dr Devinder Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Extension Education said, “Farmers many a times find themselves to be in a tight spot due to lack of technical knowhow. They are rather scared of shifting to the new mode. They wait for others to be the initiators.”

Chief Agriculture Officer of Ludhiana Dr Narinder Singh Benipal said, “With DRS technique, the farmers are able to save 30 to 35% of water, increase their yield by 5 to 10% and improve soil health by all means. Now when the government is promising assistance, there is no reason why they should not rethink in terms of adopting the DSR technique.”

#direct seeding of rice