Krishi Vigyan Kendra

KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRA

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bishnupur District, Utlou is located at a distance of 12 km. from Imphal, capital of Manipur and is 16 km. from the Bishnupur District Headquarters. It is 1km away from the National Highway-150 on the eastern side and is located at UtlouMayaiLeikai, side by side with SAG Complex. It has a demonstration farm of 0.75ha and a main farm of 25.0ha. A stream, Merakhong by name, runs adjacent to the main farm.

Bishnupur District

Bishnupur is one of the 4 districts in the central valley of Manipur. Stretching between 93.43 º E and 93.53 º E Longitudes and 24.18 º N and 24.44 º N Latitudes the total geographical area of the District is 530 Sq. The district is bounded by Imphal West district in the north, Senapati and Churachandpur districts in the west and south and Thoubal and Imphal West districts in the east. The National Highway No 150 runs through the district from north to south.

The district is in Subtropical agro-climatic zone. It has warm humid climate during summer, maximum temperature going upto 32 – 33 o C with 1200 - 1400mm rainfall. It has cold winter with night temperatures going down to 2 – 3 o C.

The district is at present self-sufficient in cereals, pulses and fish production. However, to meet the demand of the ever increasing population of the district, as well as the state, in cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and fish, the people of the district has to strive at their best.

Bishnupur district is bestowed with many streams and rivulets following from the surrounding hills of Senapati and Churachandpur districts to Loktak lake and the Manipur river. Even in drought years, the district gets some respite from these streams. As will be seen from the following table, the average rice yield of the district is higher that of the state. During the year 2008-09 also the district was surplus in rice production (3.50 tonnes/ha against 2.46 tonnes/ha. of the state).

It has an area of 496 sq.km. with 42,366 ha. of cultivable land. An area of 9,129 ha. is under horticultural crops. Rainfall being high in the state as well as the district, the soil of the district is acidic, p H ranging from 4.5 to 5.5. The texture of the soil is mostly clay loam. The district has a great potential for production of horticultural crops. It occupies first position in terms of area and production of vegetables in Manipur. Vegetable growing yields a much higher income to the poor families. Some parts of the district are also cultivating fruits like pineapple, banana and orange etc. in commercial scale.

Bishnupur district has highest potential for fisheries development with its abundant water bodies / lakes. It has also good potential for development of horticulture, piggery, diary, poultry etc.

Ninety percent of the state’s geographical area of 22,327 sq. km is covered by hills and in a very small valley area of about 2232 sq. km lies the district of Bishnupur. Almost 99% of the population both in the hill and valley relish fish. Fish occupies an important place in the state, not only because of its food value, but also of its socio-cultural importance. The state is endowed with salubrious climate and rich water resources suitable for fishery.

Fishery forms one of the natural resources of Manipur and is the subsistence economy of the state contributing to about 85% of the state’s gross domestic product (GDP). The state is potentially the second most resourceful state in the NE region from the fisheries perspective. Manipur with a population of 23, 93,896 has 3,360 kms or13, 888.00 ha of rivers and streams, 13,221.00 ha of lakes, reservoirs, Tanks & canals etc, 11,536.00, ha of water-logged marshy and swampy lands, beels, 3,480, 00 ha submerged crop lands, 1,738.00 ha water-logged areas converted into agricultural lands, 8,597.00 ha of biomass and a total of 56,460 ha as fisheries resources that produce 18,700 tones of fish annually. There is an annual demand of 25,000 tones of fish calculated on the basis of 11kg per capita fish consumption (National Nutritional Standard) showing a wide gap of 6,500 MT (2007-08).

Fishery is the major occupation and source of income for the people of this district living in and around the Loktak Lake (286sq.km), the biggest fresh water lake in NE India. The district is bestowed with a vast area under lakes, swamps and marshy areas (18,447ha). About 40,000 people are directly dependent on fishing for their livelihood and about 1 lac people are indirectly dependent on fishing for their sustenance. According to statistics maintained by the State Fisheries Deptt., Loktak Lake contributes about 60% of the total fish yield of the state before introduction of modern pisciculture. At present, the district has a combination of capture and culture fisheries. However, culpture fisheries is still prevalent than the captive one. Native fisher folk continue their traditional practices of fishing. Being a Ramsar site (1970) the lake has got the highest potential for both capture and culture fisheries. A large no. of agricultural lands along the periphery of the lake, having been submerged, has been converted into aquaculture farms. There are a number of fish farms varying from 0.5 to 10 ha. in size which are lying scattered along the lake periphery with a production range of 1 to 1.5 tonnes/ha./yr. Hence, the district has tremendous scope for enhancing fish production both for capture and culture fisheries. By virtue of geographical situation, the State is suitable for animal production through farming on poultry, piggery, dairy etc. Loktak lake which covers an area of 286 sq.km. lies in between Bishnupur district and Imphal West district and is the largest fresh water lake in north-eastern India. The district has ample scope of milk production because of its profuse natural fodders growing in low-lying areas and peripheries of the lake.

The district has 71,895 livestock and 3, 40,391 poultry population (as per the 17 th Quinquennial Livestock Census, 2003) which account for 6.5 and 11.6 percent of the state total respectively. Amongst livestock, cattle populations (50,724) pre-dominate the district with 70.8% of the total followed by pig (12.3%) and buffalo (3.6%).