KfW Germany Team Visits Natural Farming Fields in Palnadu
The team interacted with farmers to gain first-hand insights into field-level practices, farmer experiences, research initiatives and natural farming models.
Vijayawada: A research team from KfW Germany visited natural farming fields in Palnadu district and interacted with farmers to gain first-hand insights into field-level practices, farmer experiences, research initiatives and natural farming models.
The visit was organised under the Indo-German Global Academy of Agroecology for Research and Learning (IGGAARL).
The team comprised KfW Germany economist Iris Harder and KfW New Delhi senior specialist Sangeeta Agarwal, along with representatives of SERVE and Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, district project manager Amala Kumari, DPMU staff, science team members, district natural farming personnel and farmers.
The team first visited Ramanaiah’s chilli field at Ganapavaram village, where Young Research Fellow Harshavardhan explained the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission-related study being conducted under the TERI project.
The team interacted with farmers practising both natural farming and chemical farming to understand their field-level experiences.
Later, the team visited the natural farming field of K. Kothapalli Nageswara Rao in the Rajupalem area, where the Orchard A-Grade model was being implemented.
The visitors observed the use of field-level tools, including a soil infiltration meter, Brix meter and penetrometer, and interacted with the farmer about the implementation and outcomes of the model.
The team subsequently visited the Rajupalem Compact Block and interacted with farmers.
It later held discussions with the DPMU team at Nagireddypalem on natural farming programme implementation, farmer participation, field experiences and research-related activities.
The team members said the visit provided the KfW Germany team with direct exposure to natural farming practices and research initiatives while strengthening linkages among agroecology, environmental conservation, research and field-level farmer knowledge.