Goalpara: A daylong 'Participatory Varietal Field Day of Rice Variety Cafeteria' under Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) in association with the Department of Agriculture: ATMA-APART, Goalpara, was organized at Chakla village in Basbari GP under Jhunkaipara ADO Circle of Kharmuza Development 'Block a few days back.

Inaugurating the cafeteria, Assistant Director of Agriculture Wahid Ahmed said crop varietal cafeterias facilitate scientific evaluation and selection processes of new varieties. He added that the concept was promoted across India on farmers' fields where they and the stakeholders compare and select one or more suitable varieties that have been identified as suitable for growing in their plots of land.

The cafeteria is managed by farmer Akbar Ali and is grown in a plot measuring 2 bighas Ten selected popular local varieties of rice - Swarna Sub-I, Pan Jamuna, Bhahadur Sub-I, Chokra, Ranjit Sub I, Bina-II, Mahsuri, Baismuthi, and GNC are available for the live demonstration for local farmers, where they can learn skills in different farm operations through evidence-based learning, from land preparation to the harvesting of these rice varieties, from this
demonstration plot.
Emphasizing the importance of such a crop cafeteria, Assistant Technology Manager of Kharmuza Development Block, Abu Al Hasmi Saddam said that the cafeteria provides space for interaction of farmers as well as the stakeholders to discuss, learn and decide on their preferences through participatory engagement.

Other officials, namely junior researcher of IRRI Mridu Paban Mudoi, ADO of Jhunkai- para Circle Niva Doloi, DAMC of APART Apurba Mazumdar, and BTM (C) of KharMuza Development Block Dr Tikeswar Nath also spoke about the importance of selecting rice varieties.