• Increasing production and productivity of rain-fed rice,
• increasing production and productivity of horticultural crops,
• increasing production and productivity of pulses and oilseeds,
• enhancing production and productivity of plantation crops especially tea,
• popularization of improved implements and farm mechanization,
• enhancing production and productivity of milk, egg, meat, fish and sericulture enterprise,
• entrepreneurship development by enhancing skill and motivation of rural youth for taking up various agro based vocation,
• introduction of technology for reducing drudgery of farm women,
• educating the villagers on nutrition, hygiene, health and environment,
• educating the farming community on maintenance of quality of various agro-based products , post-harvest technology, value addition and marketing.
• Extension of nutrient, disease and pest management for sustainable agriculture

Integrated Farming system Approach

Technology for Rain-fed Agriculture

Increased cropping intensity with application of frontier technology is of paramount importance for enhancing production and productivity under rainfed agriculture. Action plan for increasing input use efficiency, particularly of fertilizer, water, pesticide under rainfed agricultureare of paramount importance. Use of location specific hybrid cultivars, rain water management for growing rice, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables and cultivation of plantation crops particularly tea by small tea growers, fruits; agro-forestry, processing and value addition etc. will also receive attention.

Integrated Plant Nutrient System

Agriculture is predominantly rain-fed in Assam including Dibrugarh district. The N use efficiency is as low as 20 % and hardly exceeds 50 % under rain-fed agriculture. In case of P, the efficiency varies between 15 to 20 %. Therefore, soil test based integrated use of nutrients coupled with optimum time of fertilizer application; method of application will have significance.

Integrated Pest Management

Although the use of agrochemicals is more in the tea gardens, farmers of the district apply agrochemicals substantially for pest management. The problem of soil and water pollution, toxic residue in food etc. are nowadays universal problem. To obviate these problems, integrated pest management approach based on synergistic use of resistant varieties, appropriate cultural practices, application of bio pesticides, use of bio control agents and scientific and controlled application of agro- bio pesticide will be extremely important.

Sustainable Soil and Water Management

Soil is a vital natural resource. Its capacity to produce is limited. It depends mainly on its intrinsic characteristics, agro-ecological situation and its use management. The problem of soil degradation through erosion, pollution and acidity; depletion of organic matter, micronutrient deficiencies etc. need to be addressed.
Though water is a scarce resource, its abundance during monsoon months and its scarcity during winter months adversely affect agriculture and allied production systems. Wherever irrigation is available, though meagerly, unscientific management lead to lesser water use efficiency and wastage. Presence of iron in irrigation water results in toxicity problem. Scientific management of water will, therefore, be an important agenda.

Diversification

Changing consumption and demand patterns and new trade opportunities have provided impetus to trends towards diversification of farming systems through greater emphasis on horticulture, animal husbandry, milk, poultry and fish, non food crops such as mushrooms, spices and condiments, medicinal and aromatic crops and agro-forestry. These aspects need to be dealt with.

Farm Mechanization

Farm mechanization has become very important for achieving higher economic return particularly under the changing agricultural scenario. One of the reasons of drudgery as well as lesser productivity and profitability in the production system of the state is little or insignificant use of improved implements and machinery. Programme for educating the farming community on importance of farm mechanization for raising productivity and profitability from farming will be extremely important.

Women empowerment

Women in rural areas constitute a major work force in agriculture contributing significantly to agricultural production and post production including on farm handling, processing and value addition. Farm women also spend more time and perform more tasks in animal husbandry and dairying and thus play a vital role. Women have different technological needs than men due to the differences in their physique, stamina, experience and skills. Therefore, empowerment of women will necessitate training for their education on health, hygiene, nutrition, drudgery reduction, income generation skills and encouragement to participate in technology assessment and refinement.

Collaborative technology development

Effective and useful collaborative programmes with allied departments’ viz., Agricultural Technology Management Agency, National food Security Mission, Technology Mission of Horticulture etc., with financial institutions for capacity building of farmers, rural youth, farm women; with farmers’ and women organization for need assessment and organizing mandated actions will have significant results for fulfilling the desired goal and vision.

Miscellaneous Issues