IIT Guwahati and ICAR–KVK collaborate to bring rapid Soil Organic Carbon testing kits to Tripura farmers, empowering grassroots agriculture with accessible, on-field soil-health diagnostics and sustainable land management tools for enhanced crop yields and long-term soil fertility.
The School of Agro and Rural Technology (SART), Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, in collaboration with ICAR–Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), West Tripura, under the ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, has taken a significant step towards bringing scientific soil-health monitoring closer to farmers in Tripura.
A one-day Training-cum-Capacity Building Workshop on the Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Kit and its distribution was organised at ICAR–KVK West Tripura, bringing together agricultural scientists, extension personnel and farmers from West Tripura, South Tripura, Sepahijala, Gomati and Khowai districts.
The programme was fully coordinated by IIT Guwahati’s School of Agro and Rural Technology, with ICAR–KVK West Tripura extending institutional and field-level support. Prof. Sudip Mitra, Head, SART, IIT Guwahati, provided the technical and academic leadership, while Dr Santanu Bhunia, Post-Doctoral Fellow, led the practical demonstration of the soil carbon detection technology.
Dr B. U. Choudhury, Head, ICAR Tripura Centre, graced the programme as Chief Guest. Scientists and Subject Matter Specialists from KVKs across Tripura, along with farmers, participated in the technical sessions and hands-on activities.
The workshop focused on the importance of soil organic carbon as a key indicator of soil health, highlighting its role in soil structure, water retention, nutrient availability, microbial activity and sustainable crop production.
A major attraction of the programme was the live field-level demonstration of the Soil Organic Carbon Detection Kit. Participants were trained in soil sample collection, preparation, testing and interpretation of results. The technology enables rapid estimation of soil organic carbon directly in the field, helping farmers understand the carbon status of their soils and take appropriate management measures. The kit has been developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
Prof. Sudip Mitra explained the scientific significance of soil carbon management and emphasised the need to strengthen farmer-level soil monitoring. A video presentation on soil organic carbon and its importance in sustainable agriculture was also screened during the programme.
The interactive sessions generated considerable interest among farmers, who raised questions on soil sampling, interpretation of carbon status and the use of the information for improving soil management. The experts emphasised that regular monitoring of soil organic carbon can help farmers make better-informed decisions for maintaining soil fertility and long-term productivity.
The programme culminated in the distribution of Soil Organic Carbon Kits to participating farmers, placing a practical soil-health assessment tool directly in the hands of the farming community.
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The initiative is expected to strengthen the linkage between advanced academic research, field-level agricultural extension and farmer-led soil-health monitoring in Tripura. It also marks an important step in taking soil science beyond laboratories and into farmers’ fields.
The programme was coordinated locally by Dr Mandira Chakraborti, SMS (Agronomy), with technical assistance from Dr Nagaraju M. C. and guidance from Dr Ganesh Das, Senior Scientist-cum-Head, ICAR–KVK West Tripura. Representatives of the State Agriculture Department, Belbari, also participated in the programme.
