One awareness cum Farmer-Scientist Interaction programme on ‘Science-based Balanced Use of Fertilizers’ was organised on 26th June, 2026 at Gotalabindha village of Balianta block in Khordha district of Odisha under the ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ of the Govt. of India in collaboration with the ‘Sishu Ananta Farmer Producer Company Ltd’, Balipatana, Khordha. Dr. S. K. Mishra, Principal Scientist briefed about the objectives of the ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ initiative of the Govt. of India and emphasized the importance of ‘Science-based Balanced Use of Fertilizers’ for protecting our soil being a living resource essential for food, nutritional, and environmental security. He highlighted the need for adopting balanced fertilization practices, improving soil organic matter, and reducing excessive dependence on chemical fertilizers to ensure long-term agricultural sustainability. The benefits of FYM, vermicompost, green manuring like Sesbania (Dhaincha), N-fixing leguminous crops, Azolla, Blue-Breen Algae, LCC-based N-application, Nano-Urea and Nano-DAP in improving nutrient-use efficiency and sustaining crop productivity were also discussed. Dr. Mishra also sensitized the farmers on the consequences of continuous nutrient mining, declining soil fertility, and imbalanced fertilizer application, discussed the principles of integrated nutrient management, stressed upon the importance of recycling locally available farm resources for improving soil health and reducing cultivation costs, and encouraged the farmers to combine organic and inorganic nutrient sources for maintaining soil productivity without compromising crop productivity. Dr. Ashis Maity, Principal Scientist discussed the role of crop residue incorporation, conservation agriculture practices, and moisture conservation measures in maintaining soil health and enhancing resilience to climatic stresses. He explained and demonstrated on preparation of bulk bio-fertilizers including Beejamrut, Ghan Jeevamrut, Brahmastra and Neemastra etc and their application methods. Dr Maity showed how liquid or carrier-based bio-fertilizers could be mixed with cow dung and kept for 12–15 days under proper conditions, which helps in increasing the population of beneficial microorganisms, thereby enhancing nutrient availability and improving crop productivity. Sri Kalandi Behera, CEO of the FPC motivated the farmers to adopt the scientific soil health management practices and advocated to spread the knowledge-gained to other fellow farmers in the locality. Farmers actively participated in the interactive discussions and shared their field experiences and challenges related to soil fertility management. The scientists addressed their queries and provided practical recommendations for improving soil health, enhancing nutrient-use efficiency, and sustaining crop productivity. The programme concluded with a collective commitment by the participants to adopt soil-friendly and sustainable agricultural practices. A total of 35 participants attended the programme including 27 farm women.
