Situation Analysis:
Thoubal district is known as the rice bowl of Manipur but when the rice fields and rice growers were surveyed,there were many problems facing the farmers.The problems may be listed as lack of knowledge of proper package of practices,ignorance of quality seed,lack of knowledge of seed rate etc.Among these problems the major problem identified turned out to be non-availability of quality seed.Most of the farmers used farm saved seeds which were contaminated with more than about 20% offtypes resulting into low yield & seed replacement rate was also very low only 4-5%.
Technology Implementation and support:
Through different training programmes onvarious aspects of rice seed production right from selection of variety ,seed source,classes of seed,site selection,seed treatment,raising of nursery,seedling age,spacing of transplanted rice for seed production,rogueing,insect pest & disease management,isolation,harvesting and post harvest management,labelling etc, many farmers were made thoroughly aware.
Uptake,Spread & benefits:
At first KVK,Thoubal took up participatory Rice seed production of a few rice varieties namely CAUR-1,RCManiphou-7,RC Maniphou-12, RC Maniphou-13 with some selected farmers from different villages.They were trained through trainings as well as method demonstration onvarious steps of seed production.The crops thus raised were very successful.The seeds produced were purchased from the producers at a premium price higher than that of grains produced by other fellow farmers.On an average there was a benefit of at least 15-20% higher income than the grain producers.Being aware ofthe better benefit of producing seed,neighbouring farmers have volunteered to undertake rice seed production.Thus KVK,Thoubal is able toproduce on an average 100 mt of quality rice seed each year benefitting both the seed growers as well as the farmers availing with quality seeds for their rice cultivation getting both mental as well as financial satisfaction.
Results
About 90 tonnes of rice were produced during 2019-2021 as quality seed in order to make available quality seed to the rice growers as well as to enhance income of rice seed growers as well as quality seed growers.The seeds produced were bought back from the farmers and processed by KVK,Thoubal and were sold out to the farmers as seed material. Approx 337.15 tones of rice has been produced as seed material.251 quintals of certified seed were produced during 2021-2022.The seeds were certified by certification Agency Dept. of Agriculture.