Farmers–Scientist Interface Meeting and Weed Sampling Conducted under TSP at Dungaria Village, Mandla

A farmers–scientist interface meeting cum weed sampling programme was organized at Dungaria village, Mandla district, under the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) of the ICAR–Directorate of Weed Research, Jabalpur. The programme witnessed active participation from 23 beneficiary farmers, including 12 women farmers, reflecting strong community engagement. Dr. Jamaludheen A., Scientist, along with Mr. S. K. Bose, Chief Technical Officer, interacted with the participating farmers and discussed various aspects of crop management practices, weed-related problems, and field-level constraints.

During the interaction, farmers shared their positive experiences from kharif rice cultivation, highlighting that timely technical support from ICAR–DWR, through critical input supply and scientific advisories, resulted in a 20–25 per cent increase in yield compared to their conventional practices adopted in the previous year. Feedback was also collected on the newly sown wheat variety and the status of weed emergence in farmers’ fields. Farmers reported that wheat sowing was delayed due to excess soil moisture, caused by unexpected rainfall during November.

Subsequently, weed sampling was carried out at different locations in the fields to document the existing weed flora and population dynamics. The data generated will serve as a baseline for future comparison after herbicide application, as per the recommendations provided to the farmers. The programme highlighted the importance of continuous farmer–scientist interaction in addressing location-specific agricultural issues and promoting scientific crop management practices in tribal areas.