A Kisan Sangosthi was organized by ICAR-Directorate of Weed Research at the site of one of the on-farm research trials under ‘Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav’ programme at Lakhapateri village in Katni district. At the outset, Dr. R.P. Dubey, Principal Scientist and Team Leader welcomed the dignitaries viz. Dr. A.R. Sharma, Director, ICAR-DWR and chief guest, Mr. Abhishek Kashyap, public representative, Lakhapateri and all the farmers attending the programme. Appreciating the keen involvement of farmers of this area, he appraised the progress of on-farm research trials, swachhta abhiyan, Parthenium Awareness programme etc. in this area. He also mentioned the importance of the ‘National Productivity Week’. Dr. Sushilkumar, Principal Scientist requested the farmers to eradicate the obnoxious weed Parthenium. He also stressed upon the utilisation of weed biomass, including Parthenium in making vermicompost.

Mr. C.R. Chethan, Scientist delivered a brief account for safe use of herbicides with a vivid demonstration on solar operated herbicide sprayer. Leading farmers of this area, viz. Mr. Bharat Barman, Mr. Sitaram Jaiswal, Mr. Hiramani Haldkar and Mr. Ratan Kushwaha narrated their experiences on weed management and conservation agriculture as they achieved higher crop yields while saving on cost of tillage, seeds, irrigation etc. Dr. P.K. Singh, Principal Scientist elaborated about different extension programmes run by DWR. He requested farmers to share their experience with their peers of different areas.

Dr. A.R. Sharma gave an account of conservation agriculture in Madhya Pradesh and the efforts made by the Directorate. He urged the farmers to adopt newer farm technologies of conservation agriculture practices in the present situation of escalating cost of cultivation and climate change. He appreciated the farmers of Banda village for being declared the ‘open defecation-free village’, Dr. Sharma also insisted them to make their villages free from Parthenium. At the end of the Sangosthi, all the guests and farmers visited the on-farm trial on wheat and appreciated the good crop grown with conservation agriculture practices. The programme was organized by Dr. R.P. Dubey, Principal Scientist, Dr. P.P. Choudhury, Principal Scientist, Mr. C.R. Chethan, Scientist, Mr. S.K Parey, Technical Officer and Mr. K.K. Tiwari, Technical Officer.