Awareness Training Program on Acid Soil Management and Balanced Use of Fertilizer under SAFAR Project Held in Sundargarh 
An awareness training program on ‘Acid soil management and balanced use of fertilizer’ was organized by ICAR CRRI, Cuttack in collaboration with Biotez Agrinovation Pvt. Ltd under the project ‘Economic and environment-friendly utilization of Basic-Slag and Fly Ash as Soil amendments to Reclaim Acid soils of Odisha [SAFAR]: Waste to wealth for promoting circular economy (EAP 411)’ funded by State of Government of Odisha at Ranto village under Lathikata block of Sundargarh district. The program witnessed enthusiastic participation from 115 farmers, reflecting growing awareness and interest in sustainable agricultural practices.
The event was graced by dignitaries including Dr. P. Bhattacharyya, Principal Investigator and Head, CPD, ICAR-CRRI; Dr. Supriya Dash, Block Agriculture Officer, Lathikata; Dr. Winni Routray, Assistant Professor, Department of Food Processing Engineering, NIT Rourkela; and Dr. Shitarashmi Sahu, Director and Founder of Biotez Agrinovation Pvt. Ltd..
The program commenced with a welcome address by Ms. Rajalaxmi Sahoo, who also provided an overview of the SAFAR project and its objectives. Dr. Shitarashmi Sahu delivered an insightful session on biofertilizers and highlighted the role of Biotez Agrinovation in promoting sustainable farming solutions.
Dr. P. Bhattacharyya elaborated on critical aspects of soil health, emphasizing soil pH, causes and impacts of soil acidity on crop growth and yield. He also stressed the importance of soil testing, proper soil sample collection techniques, use of Ecolime+ for management of acid soil, and selection of suitable paddy varieties based on land type and crop duration.
Dr. Supriya Dash spoke on the importance of green manuring, seed treatment practices, and highlighted the benefits of Ecolime+ application in reducing soil acidity—one of the major challenges faced by farmers in Odisha.
As part of the training programme, 100 Soil Health Cards were distributed among farmers of Ranto village to promote informed decision-making in agriculture. The session concluded with an interactive discussion, where farmers shared feedback and engaged with experts on the long-term adoption of eco-lime and sustainable soil management practices. The program marked a significant step toward enhancing farmers’ knowledge and promoting climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural practices under the SAFAR project.
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