The Gazetteers Department

In an agricultural economy agronomic research and education are of primary importance, if the advancement made in the field of science is to be beneficially utilised in doubling agricultural production. The development of agriculture in a planned economy has made research one of the fundamentals of planning. Intensive cultivation which is an integral part of the strategy of agricultural planning, depends upon research and propaganda in respect of scientific methods of cultivation, crop rotation and crop protection. Considerable progress has been achieved in the state as a whole in agricultural research and education, but as yet there was no regular agricultural research station in the Wardha district excepting the eight taluka seed-farms which conducted research in respect of only certain crops and also served as demonstration centres.

No doubt, the benefit of research conducted at other research stations in the State were and are enjoyed by the agriculturists in Wardha, but it was felt that the district should also have a research station to tackle the problems particular to the district. Taking this view into consideration a scheme for the establishment of a research station was sanctioned and an area of 80.99 acres was acquired at Kutki in Hinganghat tahsil in June 1967. The object of the scheme is to conduct research on different crops with a view to increasing the yield and test the applicability of the research conducted; to work out cultural, manurial and irrigational requirements of the different crops in different regions and to introduce new crops in the district which are not widely grown at present. Besides producing improved strains and conducting allied research, the station is also to study the selection of sites for seed multiplication farms in order to make the district self-sufficient in different kinds and varieties of seeds. Work has already begun in this direction but it may take some time before the research station is fully equipped and the results of research put to practical use. Till 1966-67, a total of Rs. 95,898.75 were spent on the scheme.

In order to decide and study the feasibility of the cropping pattern in the command area of the Bor dam, a trial-cum-demonstration farm was established in June 1965.

A Horticultural Nursery to produce quality fruit and vegetable seeds is being set up in Bori village. An area of 16.36 acres has already been acquired for this purpose.

To overhaul and repair the agricultural implements and machinery an Agricultural Engineering workshop has been set up. Thus it can be seen that significant progress has been made in the direction of agricultural research with a view to increasing the agricultural output of the district.

Demonstrations and agricultural exhibitions are held from time to time to educate the cultivators on the advisability of adopting improved techniques of cultivation. The block agency has been generally entrusted with the work of propaganda.

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