Agricultural training programs

Farmers  Trainings

Farmer training is an important tool widely used by development programs in developing countries. Farmers require ongoing education to stay aware of fast-moving developments in agriculture technology, science, agri-business management, and an array of other skills and fields that affect agricultural operations. The Deparment of Agriculture Ghizer  increase farmers’ knowledge in these areas and help them to adopt practices that are profitable, environmentally sound, and contribute to quality of crops  in this regard  different type of trainings are arranged
 Trainings on Food Processing and preservation

Objectives/ Importance of food processing         

Ø  it  is a major source of employment.

Ø  adds value to crops by processing.

Ø  is a major source of food in the diet.

Ø  in some cases, by export, earns valuable foreign exchange.

Ø  provides opportunities for import substitution.

Ø  benefits a large number of poor people, such as farmers, packaging suppliers and vendors

Trainings on modern agriculture technology (preparation of Bokashi, Lime Sulfur , BCL & MML)

Organic Fertilizers (Bokashi)

Organic fertilizer is usually made from plant or animal waste or powdered minerals. Examples include manure and compost, as well as wood scrap. They are considered as“soil conditioners” rather than as fertilizer, because the nutrient ratios are difficult to guarantee.

• In addition to releasing nutrients, as organic fertilizers break down, they improve the structure of the soil and increase its ability to hold water and nutrients. Over time, organic fertilizers will make your soil–and plants–healthy and strong.
• Since they are the ultimate slow-release fertilizers, it’s very difficult to over fertilize (and harm) your plants.

•                There’s little to no risk of toxic buildups of chemicals and salts that can be deadly to plants.

•                  Organic fertilizers are renewable, biodegradable, sustainable, and environment friendly.

•    Although rather expensive in packages, you can make your own organic fertilizer by composting or find inexpensive sources such as local dairy farms

Importance of  Biological Control Liquid (BCL)

Biopesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials as plants, bacteria and certain minerals , the benefits of biological control liquids are

•           No harmful residues produced, i.e. biodegradable.

•           Can be cheaper than chemical pesticides when locally produced.

•           Can be more effective than synthetic pesticides in the long-term

Bordeaux mixture:  Bordeaux mixture is a mixture of copper sulfate (CuSO4) and slaked lime (Ca (OH)₂ ) used as a fungicide. It is used in vineyards, fruit-farms and gardens to prevent infestations of downy mildew, powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. In addition to its use to control fungal infection on grape vines, the mixture is also widely used to control peach leaf curl and apple scab. It is approved for organic use in agriculture.

Importance of pruning and trainings:

Stimulates growth: Properly pruned and trimmed trees provide a strong network of healthy growth for fruit bearing branches

Controls size of tree: Pruning helps to maintain the size of the tree, and direct the growth , early fruit production and optimum fruit quality conditions.

Improves quality of fruit: Proper pruning techniques allow good light penetration into the tree, resulting in an increase in fruit bud production in subsequent years, and improve fruit quality of the current year’s crop.

Trainings on post harvest management

Post harvest technology stimulates agricultural production by:

•           Prevents post harvest losses

•           Improves nutrition

•           Adds value to agriculture products

•           Opens new marketing opportunities and jobs

The main concern is to keep commodities in an acceptable state from harvest until it reaches to consumer since most commodities are transported in their perishable state.

In addition post harvest handling aims to minimize losses at the largest possible cost, The existing post harvest environment requires appropriate technologies to maintain quality of commodities poor handling of agricultural commodities can result in quality deteriorations and losses. The three main objectives of applying postharvest technology to harvested fruits and vegetables are

1.         To maintain quality, appearance, texture, flavor, and nutrition

2.         To protect food safety

3.         To reduce losses between harvest and consumption