Seeing is believing! Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asai (CSISA) has been conducting exposure visits for farmers to different technologies, practices, and demonstration sites. On 8th June 2022, CSISA and KVK Gazipur organized a field day cum traveling seminar on DSR for service providers (SPs) and the farmers of Bihar. The participants were from three districts, Buxar, Arah, and Rohtas. They visited CSISA demo plots of DSR and visually experienced two stages of DSR technology: 1. seeding paddy by direct seeding of rice and 2. emergence of seedlings post DSR sowing.

The event started in Chapri village of Manihari block at Mr. Manoj Rai’s plot with farmers who saw DSR using zero till (ZT) seed drill machine. The land was Laser levelled having Vattar (moist soil) condition. Leading the seminar,  Agriculture Specialist with CSISA Dr. Deepak Kumar Singh emphasized the importance of having a laser levelled field for uniform seed distribution and germination. Research Scientist at CSISA, Dr. Ajay Kumar stressed that the plot must have heavy pre-sowing irrigation, after which when the weeds germinate, tillage can be done, thus, creating dust mulch for retaining moisture below 3-4 cm. As a result, the field will not require irrigation up to 10-15 days after germination as the upper soil capillary breaks.

There was a thorough discussion around the calibration of seed and fertilizer rates in the machine for DSR depending on the varieties used in different areas and times, including discussions around seed depth that play a significant role in germination. KVK scientists Dr. Dharmendra Singh and Dr. Omkar Singh actively participated in the discussion to make the farmers understand the technology.

The participants also visited Mr. Amarjeets’s plot in the adjacent village Chawar where the crop had already emerged in the DSR plot. Farmers were impressed by the uniform plant population in the field. The SPs and farmers discussed in detail with Mr. Amarjeet his experience with DSR. They asked him about the whole package of practice, e.g., seed rate, fertilizer, fuel consumption, tillage operation cost, and irrigation cost.

This exposure visit enabled farmers to interact, learn and gain confidence after seeing a well-established field and also helped service providers how to handle the machine during DSR seeding.