WildAnimal Menace PM urged to call meeting of national board

[Rajat]

These nets are available and in use by horticulturists. However, nothing can be done about field crops.

I do know about the use of nets in Horticulture and do not doubt what you are saying but what really is the reason for these not being used for field crops? I truly want to know the reason. Are their any technical difficulties etc. Your reply will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Katana]

Lets think of spreading them over 100 acres, Rajat. The economics and labour involved just doesn't work out in favour of the average farmer. Same is the case with micro irrigation.

[Rajat]

I know that we are talking in acres here and in upward multiples of 50. But this has to be done and in fact it is done, as you have rightly pointed out by horticulturists who also have large farms. The nets are installed when the fruiting season begins and are removed thereafter which also involves labour and money.

If the bird pest problem is getting out of hand and the farmers in the end get no or little yield then it is better to start thinking of a way out with maybe more labour etc. rather than "ab pachtaiye kya ho jab chidiya chug gayee khet"

Micro irrigation or the drip system (whether inline or online) is also a great system and can be set up by farmers with any size of land. The yield is increased enormously not to mention extra savings and other benefits on the side like preserving the soil from the extra unwanted water minerals etc which otherwise would have been heavily deposited with excessive and conventional irrigation. The subsidy on drip irrigation is again huge and you just have to pay a very small fraction and that can be financed by the Govt.

The problem is the lack of knowledge among the general farmers and the Govt. departments being what they are.

I am not trying to counter your post Katana and am aware of the problems and limitations but after all something has to be done about it. Please take this in a positive way.

[Katana]

Of course. But farmers being farmers