Farmers from Namakkal district undergo training on advanced cultivation techniques at NRCB

A technology exhibition featuring the latest innovations was held at the National Research Centre for Banana on Tuesday.

About 60 farmers from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities of Namakkal district are undergoing a three-day training on the latest banana and tapioca cultivation techniques at ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) at Thayanur near here.

This initiative is aimed at training tribal farmers in advanced banana and tapioca cultivation methods with technological interventions so as to ensure higher productivity and sustainability.

The training on ‘Improved hi-tech banana technology for holistic development of tribal farmers in Namakkal district’ got underway on Tuesday along with a workshop on ‘Bioprimed elite high-yielding quality tissue culture plants for higher productivity.’

The programme was jointly organised by NRCB in association with ICAR- Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram, the Krishi Vigyan Kendras of Tiruchi, Karur and Ariyalur and the Forest Department.

The farmers would be provided with elite high-yielding quality banana planting materials to enhance productivity. A total of 25,000 virus-free banana plants are being distributed to the SC and Tribal farmers, according to a NRCB press release.

Speaking on the occasion, R. Selvarajan, Director, NRCB, underlined the significance of Geographical Indication tag and the conservation of indigenous banana varieties such as numaran and manoranjitham in Kolli hills. Technological interventions would empower SC & ST farmers, ensuring better livelihood opportunities.

ICAR was committed to reaching the unreached by extending available technological advancements to marginalised communities. The NRCB was focusing on increasing farm income while ensuring economic and nutritional security for farmers in remote areas, he said.

S. Kalanidhi, District Forest Officer, Namakkal, T. Makeshkumar, Head, Division of Crop Protection, CTCRI, and Vikramaditya Pandey, Principal Scientist, Horticulture Section, ICAR, New Delhi, spoke.

A technology exhibition featuring the latest innovations from NRCB and CTCRI was organised as part of the event.