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The ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) has launched its official WhatsApp channel for seamless communication with farmers, scientists, and the general public in a significant step towards reaching farmers directly with scientific knowledge and agricultural technologies.
The channel, named "ICAR-IIVR VARANASI", allows farmers to follow and receive timely updates on the institute's latest vegetable technologies, crop advisories, videos, information on organic products, weather-based suggestions, and recent government schemes, all directly on their mobile phones. This initiative is particularly noteworthy as IIVR moves beyond traditional outreach methods to embrace digital platforms, in view of the growing influence of social media. This not only ensures the faster dissemination of innovations but also enables a prompt response to farmers' feedback and queries. According to DP Singh, Principal Scientist and Head of Media Cell at IIVR, advisories will be shared regularly through the WhatsApp channel based on seasonal suitability. These advisories will guide farmers on vegetable crop production, protection, and cost-effective practices, helping them from field preparation to timely disease and pest management. Rajesh Kumar, Director of ICAR-IIVR, emphasised that farmer interactions during the recent Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan highlighted the pressing need for quick and simple information delivery systems. In this context, the WhatsApp channel stands as a meaningful intervention. He appealed to vegetable-growing farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and NGOs to connect with this platform. He said, "In today's era, social media has emerged as a vital tool for agricultural communication. We urge more farmers, agriculture officers, scientists, and aware citizens to join this channel and support IIVR's mission of taking technology from lab to land." Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) is an initiative that embodies the vision of 'One Nation-One Agriculture-One Team' and aims to connect scientists with farmers nationwide. (ANI)
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