October 27, 2023
Rice That Grows With Scanty Rain…
IITKGP Foundation
A Non-Government Organization, the Centre for World Solidarity (CWS), in technical collaboration with IIT Kharagpur is helping farmers in a village in Ghatshila block of East Singhbhum district (Jharkand) develop a nutrition-rich indigenous variety of rice.
The farmers in Jharkhand have been facing a rainfall deficit during monsoon season for the second successive year. IIT Kharagpur scientists have worked with CWS to develop a nutrition-rich indigenous variety of rice which can thrive in scanty rain and fewer fertilizers, while increasing income for the farmers. In collaboration with IIT Kharagpur, advanced technology and machinery were developed, making the cultivation of this nutritious rice variety simple and practical. The newspaper Telegraph quoted CWS Associate Director Palash Bhushan Chatterjee: “We are delighted that, after a year of hard work, some 200 farmers are currently cultivating Bali-Bhojuna rice, contributing to the strengthening of the indigenous food system. This not only has increased their income but also ensures nutritious meals for their families.”