ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (ICAR-CRIDA) organized five-days Training Programme for Farmers on “Sustainable Rainfed Farming: A Pathway to Livelihood Security” during 27th - 31st January, 2025 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad under SC Sub-Plan.

The training programme was inaugurated on 27th January, 2025 where the Chief Guest, Dr. V. K. Singh, Director, ICAR-CRIDA, highlighted the emerging rainfed technologies. The training covered various aspects including rainfed horticulture: improved management practices, post-harvest management and value addition in crops, good livestock management practices, biofertilizer application for crop production & soil fertility,

rainwater management technologies for enhanced water productivity, cropping system management in rainfed crops, farm mechanization in rainfed agriculture, integrated pest management etc. The training programme also included exposure visits to National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) and exhibition stalls of various organizations as part of the International Conference organized by ISDA.

Valedictory session of training programme was held on 31st January, 2025. Dr. T. V. Prasad, Nodal Officer, SCSP presented brief report of the training programme. Dr. M. S. Rao, Division of Crop Science (DCS), ICAR-CRIDA, Chief Guest for the valedictory session urged the farmers to adopt latest technologies to improve the farm income.

During the session, the Chief Guest has distributed the certificates to the participants. Thirty SC farmers from two villages of Kotapally Mandal, Mancherial District of Telangana State attended the training programme. Training was coordinated by a team of CRIDA scientists consisting Dr. C.N. Anshida Beevi (Course Director), Dr. K. Sreedevi Shankar, Dr. P. K. Pankaj, Dr. G. Venkatesh, Dr. A. G. K. Reddy, Dr. Visha Kumari, Dr. H. B. Santosh, Dr. Savitha Santosh and Dr. Jagriti Rohit (Co-course Directors).