Scientists-Farmers Interface Meetings were organized under the Collaborative Project on ‘Livelihood and Nutritional Improvement of Tribal Farmwomen through Horticulture’ in two tribal villages of Dhenkanal district in Odisha on 25th July 2015.

The first interface meeting was organized at Village Kamaninga in Dhenkanal district, in which the farming community were sensitized about the project objectives and activities. The meeting was followed by frontline demonstration of raising quality vegetables seedlings using protrays, which was the new innovation dissemination to the tribal farming community in this remote village. After that seeds of improved varieties of vegetables such as brinjal, tomato, chilli,okra, bitter gourd, pumpkin, ridge gourd, cluster beans, cowpea, cucumber, etc. were distributed to about 25 tribal farm families for vegetable cultivation in their land holdings.

The second interface meeting was organized at Village Binjharpur in Dhenkanal district, in which about 20 tribal farm families participated, and benefitted through distribution of improved varieties of vegetable seeds for nutritional and livelihood support. In both the interface meetings, the farmers were imparted knowledge and skill on improved methods i.e. raised bed method of vegetable cultivation during kharif season for higher yield.

The programmes were conducted by the ICAR-CIWA team consisting of Dr. Naresh Babu, Dr. J. Charles Jeeva, Smt. Tapaswini Sahoo and Mr. Sanjay Kumar Behera.
In both the places the farmers were sensitized about Swachch Bharat Mission, and awareness was created about hygiene, sanitation and prompt disposal of household and farm wastes.