The 2^nd course for the lead farmers on ‘Crop establishment and management practices’ begins at Agriculture and Research and Development Center (ARDC, Wengkhar) from 4^th January 2018 and will end on 12^th January 2018.  A total of 33 lead farmers including 11 females from the six-eastern region, who were nominated by the Dzongkhag and Gewog Agriculture Extensions are attending the training.

With the Resource person from ARDC, RAMCO, and IFPP, the training will cover both theory and practical lessons on staggered and protected vegetable production techniques, fruits nursery and production management practices, hands-on practice for the application of manures and fertilizers, basic practices involved in seed production, demonstration on training and pruning, mushroom production techniques, product development from maize, and farm record keeping.

At the end of the training, each participant will be provided with the inputs for the establishment of demo-farm in their respective home. The layouts and the design for the demo-farm are all completed after they attended the first course of lead farmers on ‘Awareness on farming technology options’ from 7-9^th November 2017.

Meanwhile, this same batch of lead farmers will attend another two courses sometimes in the mid and end of this year to be finally called ‘A Lead Farmer.’ The lead farmer approach is supported through CARLEP to increase the extension and farmers-to-farmers training services.

-Update by Karma Wangmo. Information and Picture from: ARDC Facebook page.