Bhubaneswar, April 11: Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Odisha, visited Kandabinda village in Odapada block, Dhenkanal district, to review the ongoing EcoLime+ demonstration fields and engage with local farmers. The demonstrations are part of the SAFAR project, backed by the Odisha government.
During the visit, Pratap Bhattacharyya, Principal Investigator of the project, along with Rubina Khanam and Dillip R. Sarangi from ICAR-CRRI, detailed the advantages and field performance of EcoLime+.
EcoLime+ is a composite, value-added product that provides essential nutrients like phosphorus, silicon, calcium, and magnesium.
It helps manage acidic soils by raising soil pH, thereby improving phosphorus availability.
Scientists explained that the product’s application could potentially reduce DAP fertilizer usage by up to 25%.
Farmers shared positive feedback, highlighting noticeable improvements in soil quality and crop yield after using EcoLime+.
The visit was attended by senior officials, including the Dhenkanal Collector, Chief District Agriculture Officer (CDAO), Director of Horticulture, and other department representatives.
Approximately 40 farmers participated in the interactive session.
The team praised the ongoing initiatives and underscored the importance of expanding such sustainable agricultural technologies for broader implementation across the state.
