ICAR–KVK Nimbudera Reaches 636 Farmers in Month-Long Khet Bachao Abhiyan Across North & Middle Andaman

ICAR–Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nimbudera, ran Khet Bachao Abhiyan 2026 from 1 to 30 June 2026, covering the Rangat, Mayabunder, and Diglipur blocks of North & Middle Andaman district. The campaign was designed to sensitise island farming communities on soil health management, balanced nutrient use, and climate-compatible farming technologies relevant to the archipelago's conditions.

The initiative was conducted under the guidance of Dr Jai Sunder, Director (Acting), ICAR–CIARI, Sri Vijayapuram, along with other senior officials of the institute. By the programme's close, 458 farmers and 178 farmwomen — a combined 636 participants — had actively engaged with its sessions and field demonstrations.

Technical sessions at the Abhiyan placed strong emphasis on Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), walking farmers through a suite of eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic chemical inputs. Key practices promoted included:

• Green manuring for in-situ soil enrichment
• Vermicomposting to recycle farm waste into nutrient-rich organic matter
• Biofertiliser application using Azotobacter and Azospirillum to fix atmospheric nitrogen
• Biofertiliser-based seed treatment to improve crop establishment and early root health

Scientific paddy cultivation methods were also demonstrated, with sessions tailored to the specific agro-climatic realities of island farming — where efficient resource management and reduced external input dependence are both an ecological and economic priority.

One of the standout agronomic messages of Khet Bachao Abhiyan 2026 was the promotion of pulses in rice fallow areas — a practice that simultaneously addresses soil nutrient cycling and crop diversification. By integrating leguminous crops into the post-harvest paddy window, farmers can naturally replenish nitrogen in the soil while adding a marketable crop to their annual cycle.

The programme framed this as part of a broader push toward organic and natural farming and climate-friendly agriculture. Integrated approaches to resource use and cropping system design were highlighted as essential for sustaining productivity in the Andaman Islands, where the land resource base is limited and environmental sensitivities are high.

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands present a distinct agricultural context that makes outreach programmes like Khet Bachao Abhiyan particularly significant. Island soils are vulnerable to degradation, external input supply chains are costly and unreliable, and the ecology demands a cautious approach to chemical use.

ICАR–CIARI and its KVK network have consistently worked to adapt mainland agri-technology to island conditions. The June 2026 campaign's geographic spread — three blocks across North & Middle Andaman — signals an intent to embed sustainable practice at the block level, not just in demonstration plots. With farmwomen comprising 28% of the total participants, the programme also reflects a deliberate inclusion of women in the agricultural knowledge ecosystem of the islands.