Awareness Campaign on Balanced use of fertilizers

An Awareness Campaign on ‘Balanced use of fertilizers’ under Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav Scheme was organized by Group 1 with Dr R.M. Shanthi as team leader along with Dr S. Karthigeyan, Dr R. Gomathi and Dr V. Jayakumar in Vadaputhur village near Kinathukadavu in   Coimbatore district. This campaign was jointly organized by ICAR-SBI, Coimbatore and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Avinashilingam on 29.04.26. The main objective of this intensive awareness campaign was to sensitize the farmers on the optimum use of chemical fertilizers and suggest suitable alternatives in cropping pattern, package of practices, special attention on green manuring and other organic substitutes and advisory on reduced dependency of chemical fertilizers to improve soil health and sustain the crop productivity in every farm household.

Dr S. Karthigeyan welcomed the farmers for their participation in this awareness campaign. Scientists from ICAR-SBI and Avinashilingam KVK interacted with the farmers to understand the cropping pattern, soil type, irrigation sources and input dealers. The major crops grown are vegetables viz., tomato, brinjal, garden beans, snake gourd, bottle gourd etc.  Coconut and banana are other major crops grown in this area. The soil type is red sandy loam soil and the irrigation sources are borewell and open well.  Forty percent of farmers have installed drip irrigation due to vagaries of monsoon and declining water table in the village.  Dr S. Gomathi highlighted the importance of effective weed management for improving fertilizer use efficiency and emphasized on crop diversification with legumes and green manuring, along with need-based fertilizer application and residue management.  

Dr V. Jayakumar explained about the ill effects of excess use of chemical fertilizers on soil health and need for balanced fertilization of crops with biofertilizers application to improve the soil health. The farmers were educated on application of biofertilizers, especially Rhizobium, Azospirillum, Acetobacter and Phosphobacteria in various cropping system and highlighted about reduction in fertilizer requirement due to application of biofertilizers. The farmers were also informed about reduction in input cost due to biofertilizer application and long term benefits to soil health. The farmers were also trained on seed treatment methods and ways and means of biofertilizers application in soil.

Dr R.M. Shanthi sensitized the farmers on the decline in soil health due to excessive use of weedicide and pesticides in recent years. The role of disease management in enhancing crop productivity and nutrient use efficiency was also discussed. Farmers were sensitized on the testing soil and water prior to crop raising for proper dose, time and method of fertiliser application and precautions to avoid crop injury and environmental hazards was also explained.