ICRISAT, PJTSAU join hands to boost groundnut production across Telangana

The initiative funded by the Government of Telangana aims to expand groundnut production which is presently only cultivated on 0.3 million hectares of land in the State.

Sangareddy: To boost groundnut production across Telangana, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) have joined forces to conduct 80 demonstration trials across the State. The initiative funded by the Government of Telangana aims to expand groundnut production which is presently only cultivated on 0.3 million hectares of land in the State.

Addressing scientists and farmers during a capacity building programme at Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) Palem in Nagarkurnool district, Director General ICRISAT Dr Jacqueline Hughes said she was delighted with the collaboration with the Government of Telangana and PJTSAU, which would likely see much-needed improvements to groundnut cultivation across the State, leading to improved farmer incomes.

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“We look forward to drawing upon the Institute’s experience and expertise in developing inclusive and sustainable seed systems and value chains to deliver to farmers across Telangana, high quality, accessible, and lower cost seed,’ she said.

Deputy Director General – Research at ICRISAT Dr Arvind Kumar congratulated all parties for the initiative aimed at not only boosting incomes but incentivising new farmers to enter into groundnut production. About three hundred farmers attended the inaugural capacity building program to accelerate the adoption of the new groundnut varieties held at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) in Palem, Nagarkurnool district.

The ICRISAT and PJTSAU are working on location-specific research, identification of genotypes, and multi-location trials of varieties developed by ICRISAT to deliver suitable varieties to Telangana and improve groundnut seed systems in the State.