TAMIL NADU AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRA, TINDIVANAM

The training components of the SSI programme for Villupuram District has been allotted to this Kendra for imparting SSI nursery technology with following objectives

1. To create an awareness on SSI and to train the beneficiary farmers identified by the Directorate of Agriculture

2. To Impart SSI Nursery Technology to identified farmers / officials of co-operative and private sugar mills

Training – Technical details

Sl. No.

Category Technical session Demonstrations Conducted

Exposure visit

Learning by doing

Booklet / leaflet / CDs distributed

1. SSI Technology to farmers

Technical sessions on Introductory remarks on SSI,Varietal characterization in sugarcane,Precision farming in sugarcane, Biofertilizer in Sugarcane, Drip fertigation in Sugarcane, IPM and IDM in Sugarcane were handled by the Subject Matter Specialists and the concerned scientists on specific subjects from Oilseeds and Research station, Tindivanam

1.Method demonstration on Preparation of coir pith used for seedling development , the bud chipper used for Setts preparation and setts treatment before placing it in plastic tray for seedling development.

1.Exposure visit to V.Sathanoor area, Kedar area, Kondiyankuppam Village, Moongilpattu, Madurapakkam, Aalankuppam area

Preparation of Single budded setts , Handling plastic tray and sow the sett in it ,Setts treatment

Booklet on SSI technology was distributed

Training – Feedbacks and follow up activities

Sl.No. Category Participation of line

department officials

Feed back Follow up activities

1. SSI Technology to farmers

Sugarcane Officers

Totally training would be very helpful to us aswellas the booklet on SSI technology. Mainly the demonstration on Nursery techniques& the materials used were clearly understood. Mechanization used for harvesting sugarcane by sugarcane harvester & its economic threshold was shown by one of the farmer Mr.Aravindh,Moongilpattu ,Madurapakkam and it is really encouraged among the trainees

The activities such as training materials (Booklet) and group interaction among farmers have been followed for our trainees and also encouraged the farmers to adopt SSI in Sugarcane cultivation

TRAINING PHOTOS

I.TECHNICAL SESSION

Title: Introductory remarks in SSI Technology Title : IDM in Sugarcane

Title : IPM in Sugarcane Title : Precision farming in Sugarcane

Title : Drip fertigation in Sugarcane Group Interaction with sugarcane farmers

II .METHOD DEMONSTRATION

Title: Single budded setts preparation Title : Filling of coir pith in protray

Title : Maintennance of healthy seedlings Title : Arrangement of protray after sowing

setts in it

Title : Drip fertigation in Sugarcane Title : Drip fertigation in Sugarcane

III.EXPOSURE VISIT

Title: Mechanization in SSI (Sugarcane harvester)

Th.Aravindh,Moongilpattu,Madurapakkam

Title : Production and distribution of seedlings of sugarcane to Sugar mills

Title : Maintennance of healthy seedlings in

shadenet (Th.M.K.Mani, Moongilpattu,Madurapakkam)

Title : Exposure visit to V.Sathanoor (Th.S.Dharmalingam)

Title : Drip fertigation in Sugarcane (Th.G.Renu,Aalampakkam)

Title : Production and distribution of seedlings of sugarcane to Sugar mills (Th.Ganesan,Kedar,Kondiyankuppamvillage)

Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) – Overview

Sugarcane cultivation and the sugar industry are facing multiple problems despite sugarcane being an important crop in India. There are 35 million farmers growing sugarcane and another 50 million depend on employment generated by the 571 sugar factories and other related industries using sugar. But despite India’s long tradition and large area under sugarcane cultivation, in terms of productivity, sugarcane yields have being unimpressive. During the last 10 years, sugarcane production in India has been fluctuating between 233 million tonnes and 355 million tonnes. With low yields and fluctuations in production, and India having the second largest area under sugarcane cultivation in the world next to Brazil, the industry is in for big trouble.

Director General William Dar of ICRISAT released the SSI manual "Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI): Improving Sugarcane Cultivation in India” at the event organized by the ICRISAT-WWF project on May 5, 2009. The Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) aims to: provide practical options to farmers for improving the productivity of land, water, and labour reduce crop duration, providing factories a longer crushing season and increased employment opportunities for workers reduce the overall pressure on water resources and ecosystems. It stresses a practical approach that originates from farmers and civil society to improve productivity while reducing pressures on natural resources. It's estimated that by adopting SSI, a farmer will be able to produce at least 20% more sugarcane while reducing water inputs by 30% and chemical inputs by 25%.

The SRI in rice and SSI in sugarcane have proved the potential of addressing the water crisis while improving the productivity and profitability. India needs to invest in these methods to upscale to see the full positive impact of such approaches at the national level. It is also time for civil society, government agencies to work together to support the farmers in adopting these methods in a big way.

Needs • Current sugar consumption : 18.5 m.t

• Current sugar production : 12.5 m.t

• Sugar demand by 2015 : 27.0 m.t

• Alcohol production : 15,000 lk lt

• To meet 5 % Ethonol demand : 682 m.L

• Co-generation : 750 MW

• Potential from sugar industry : 5000 MW

Problems of Sugarcane Growers • High cost of cultivation

• Water table depleting year after year (1500-3000 l/1 kg of sugar)

• Unavailability of good quality seed material

• Increased pest and diseases menace

• Improper cultivation practices

• Imbalanced nutrient management and mono cropping resulting low yields

• Unpredictable climatic aberrations

To achieve more yields…

SSI - Method of Sugarcane production which involves

- less seeds,

- less water

- optimum utilization of nutrients and soil

Basic Principles of SSI Raising nursery using single budded chips

Transplanting young seedlings (25-35 days old)

Maintaining wider spacing (150 x 60 cm) in the main field

Sub-surface drip fertigation

& INM and IPM mode of cultivation

Water management Drip fertigation system - A Potential technology for higher cane productivity

Produce more per mm of water and all other inputs

Raise cane crop even under marginal lands

Raise crop in problem soils and water

Minimum tillage

Create micro catchments for water

harvesting

Multi-ratooning

Produce higher cane yield with less water

Benefits of this technology From farmers point of view

• Higher cane yield with net return

• Bringing additional area under cane

• More crops per unit area and time

• Saving of water, labour and electricity

• Raising cane crop with poor quality water

• Cultivation of cane in marginal and problem soils

• Timely and need based fertilizer application

From factory point of view To get higher cane recovery

To increase the crushing days

To reduce the production cost

To create employment potential

To go for Co-generation

To expand the crushing capacity

To go for ethanol production

To increase the profitability