Balanced Nutrient Management Essential for Climate-Resilient Integrated Farming: ICAR-CIFRI

Kolkata, May 2026: Emphasizing that balanced nutrient management is fundamental for developing resilient, climate-smart, and sustainable integrated farming systems, particularly in resource-dependent rural regions, the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI) organized an advocacy programme on “Balanced Use of Fertilizers for Integrated Farming Cluster Development” for 25 Self-Help Group (SHG) members and Mission Shakti staff from Subarnapur district, Odisha, visiting the institute under an Inter-State Exposure Visit programme.

The programme focused on creating awareness about the scientific and judicious use of fertilizers for improving agricultural and fish productivity while protecting soil health, water quality, and ecological sustainability. Experts highlighted that excessive and imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers leads to soil degradation, nutrient imbalance, and runoff into aquatic ecosystems, adversely affecting fish health and pond ecology.

Addressing the participants, Director of the institute, Dr. Pradip Dey stressed that balanced fertilizer use is essential for enhancing crop and fish productivity while safeguarding aquatic ecosystems. He advocated soil- and water test-based nutrient management and encouraged the use of organic manures, biofertilizers, crop residues, and pond silt along with judicious chemical fertilizer application for sustainable farming. During the technical sessions, experts emphasized the importance of integrated nutrient management and eco-friendly farming practices.

The advocacy programme is expected to significantly strengthen the knowledge, awareness, and decision-making capacity of the participating farmers and Mission Shakti members from Subarnapur district, Odisha. By promoting balanced fertilizer use and integrated farming approaches, the initiative is poised to contribute towards higher crop and fish productivity, improved soil and water health, reduced cultivation costs, enhanced farm income, and strengthened livelihood security while ensuring long-term ecological sustainability.

Team Maverick