Syngenta conducts Doctor’s Training Programme in Akola
Akola, 18 September 2019: With the largest area under cotton cultivation in India - 4.1 million hectares on average, Maharashtra is one of the key states accounting for India’s cotton production. Vidarbha alone cultivates cotton in over 1.6 million hectares. This region is also prone to severe drought & agriculturally stressed, with farmers requiring constant handholding and support to improve their adaptive capabilities.
Keeping the health and safety of the farmers in mind and pursuing with our commitment to help farmers equip with safe pesticide use, Syngenta India concieved and designed an innovative health and safety program I-SAFE (Inculcating Safety Awareness for Farmer Empowerment) as part of its initiative under Syngenta CSR in cooperation with Syngenta India Foundation. I-SAFE aims to enable more than 10,000 farmers and spraymen competent in handling pesticides & train them to become Spraymen Entrepreneurs.
Dr KC Ravi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Syngenta India Limited, said, “Syngenta is dedicated towards promoting safe and responsible use of crop protection products through effective stewardship programes as is widely acknowledged in safeguarding farmer’s health and promoting sustainable agriculture. The Agriculture Department, Government of Maharashtra has allocated Yavatmal and Satara Districts to Syngenta India Ltd for conducting Farmer Health and Safety Programmes for the year 2019-20. Our I-SAFE (Inculcating Safety Awareness for Farmer Empowerment) programme under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), in collaboration with Maharashtra State Government – Department of Agriculture and Akola District Administration and NGOs, is specifically designed to impart grass root training on health, hygiene & safe use practice for farmers and spraymen. A Syngenta - Wockhardt Mobile Health Clinic is already operational in the Amravati Division for the past two years, and I – SAFE further cements our actions, activities & commitment to farmers of the Yavatmal District.”
Under the Personal Health & Hygiene and Safety initiative, Syngenta has been conducting various awareness Programmes in Yavatmal as well in collaboration with District Administration, training more than 13,000 farmers on health & safety and one to one dedicated training to about 200 farm laborers on safety measures. Syngenta has also equipped the farm laborers with over 10,000 PPE kits through the local authorities.
Syngenta, in association with the District Collectorate, Akola and the District Medical Health Office, Akola organized a Doctor’s Training Programmes on “Recognition and Treatment of Pesticide Exposure" in Akola, Maharashtra. The programme, organized for Doctors in Amravati Division, focused on imparting training to doctors on Principles of Recognition & Treatment of pesticide poisoning, general principles on stabilization of poisoned patient and dealing with basic treatment of other poisoning cases.
Shri Jitendra Papalkar, IAS, District Collector, Akola was the Chief Guest at the Programme. The District Collector lauded the efforts taken up by Syngenta. The other Guests of Honour present at the event were Mr Ayush Prasad, IAS, CEO, Zilla Parishad Yavatmal; Dr R S Faruqi, Deputy Director (Helath), Akola; Mr Mohan Wagh, DASo, Akola; Dr S More , President, IMA, Akola; Dr Rajakumar Chauhan, Civil Surgon, Akola; Dr Suresh Asole, DHO Akola; Dr Murali Ingale, ADO, Akola - along with doctors from Government Hospitals, Indian Medical Association and medical students. Around 126 Doctors from all the five districts in Amravati Division attended the training session.
The Training session was conducted by renowned toxicologist Dr V V Pillay, Chief, Poison Control Centre, Head, Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Cochin, Kerala.
About Syngenta:
Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.twitter.com/Syngenta
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