Nagpur :- Farmers awareness programme on Soil Health Management and Balanced Use of Fertilizers was successfully conducted on 27 April 2026 at Ghorad village under Tehsil Kalameshwar of Nagpur district. The awareness programme focused on enhancing farmers’ understanding of soil health and its critical role in sustaining crop productivity. During the programme, the farmers were made aware the importance of soil testing as a scientific basis for fertilizer application and soil test–based fertilizer use to improve nutrient efficiency and reduce unnecessary input costs.
The scientist-farmers discussion also highlighted the adverse effects of excessive and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers on soil health, plant growth, and the broader food chain. Farmers were made aware of the long-term consequences such as soil degradation, nutrient imbalance, and environmental pollution, thereby reinforcing the need for balanced fertilization. Special attention was given to the use of organic inputs, including vermicompost, compost, biofertilizers, green manuring crop, beejamrut, and jeevamrut as an input for improving soil organic carbon.
The role of beneficial microorganisms and organic amendments in improving soil structure, fertility, and sustainability was explained in detail. The programme also covered quality aspects of commonly used biofertilizers such as Rhizobium, Azotobacter, PSB, and Azospirillum, emphasizing the importance of using certified and effective products. At the end, an interactive session was conducted to gather feedback from farmers regarding challenges in adopting balanced nutrient management practices. Farmers shared concerns related to the availability, quality, and cost of biofertilizers and organic inputs. Overall, the programme was successful in creating awareness and motivating farmers towards sustainable and balanced nutrient management practices.
The programme witnessed the active participation of 25 farmers, including women, reflecting growing interest in sustainable agricultural practices. The programme was coordinated by Dr. Ajinath Dukare, Senior Scientist, ICAR- Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (CIRCOT), Mumbai, Dr. Sujan Adak, Scientist and Rohini Khobragade, Technical officer, GTC, ICAR-CIRCOT, Nagpur,