A three-day training program on “Weed Management in Millets and Other Crops and Spray Techniques for Herbicides” was successfully organized at ICAR-DWR, Jabalpur and Khukkham village of Kundam block of Jabalpur district, during January 1-3, 2025, under the Farmer FIRST Program (FFP). The training aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of farmers on advanced weed management technologies and proper herbicide application techniques. A total of 24 farmers, including four Mahila Kishan, from FFP-adopted villages of Khukkham and Ranipur in Kundam block of Jabalpur participated in this programme. The programme commenced on January 1, 2025, with an inaugural session led by Dr. P.K. Mukherjee, Principal Scientist and Principal Investigator, who welcomed the farmers and outlined the objectives and technical sessions of the training.

Dr. J.S. Mishra, Hon’ble Director of ICAR-DWR, delivered a lecture highlighting the significance of integrated weed management (IWM) in crop production and its role in reducing crop losses due to weeds. He emphasized the importance of adopting appropriate herbicide application techniques and ensuring farmers' safety during herbicide usage. The session concluded with the distribution of 24 advanced dual-purpose sprayers (battery and manually operated sprayer) to the participants. The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. V.K. Choudhary, Principal Scientist and Co-PI, and the session was coordinated by Dr. Deepak Pawar, Er. Chethan C.R., and Ms. Monika Raghuwanshi. After the inaugural session, Er Chethan, Scientist and Co-PI, demonstrated the herbicide application techniques by explaining the mechanism of operation of advanced sprayers and drone based application technique. On the second day, technical discussions and interactive sessions provided valuable insights into weed management practices in different crops and technologies on weed utilization. Dr. V.K. Choudhary shared detailed information on weed management practices in major crops such as rice, wheat, mustard, and chickpea, along with herbicide application techniques. Dr. Dasari Sreekanth, Scientist and Co-PI, empowered the farmers on the technologies like composting and medicinal usage, of weed utilization and encouraged the farmers to treat the weeds as resources.

Dr. Deepak Pawar, Scientist and Co-PI, highlighted weed resistance and weed shift issues, and discussed about the strategies to minimise these problems by adopting sustainable weed management practices. The final day of the training focused on practical applications, including herbicide application techniques, weed identification, and management practices conducted by Dr. P.K. Mukherjee, who also emphasized the precautions required during herbicide usage. Er. Chethan C.R. demonstrated provided hands-on training on the ICAR-DWR Herbcal technology, detailing its installation and usage. Two farmer participants, Smt Sanjana Jharia and Mr. Ramchandra Marabi, shared their experiences, highlighting the usefulness of training programme and common challenges faced in farming. The training concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Deepak Pawar, expressing gratitude to Hon’ble Director, ICAR-DWR, farmers, scientists, and organizing team for their active participation and contributions. The three-day training program provided valuable information on integrated weed management, effective herbicide application techniques and safety aspects, and utilization of weeds. Farmers’ feedback confirmed that the hands-on demonstrations and interactive sessions enhanced farmers’ knowledge with practical skills and technical know-how on weed management.