A capacity building programme on ICAR–IIHR technologies was organized under SCSP and TSP special programmes of ICAR –IIHR, Bengaluru in collaboration with PAJANCOA&RI, Karaikal,for the farmers of Puducherry UT on 17th August 2023. At the outset, Dr. V.Kanthaswamy, Prof. & Head (Hort) welcomed the gathering. Prof. Dr. Pouchepparadjou, Dean, PAJANCOA&RI, Karaikal, in his Presidential address, advised the farmers to utilise the ICAR-IIHR improved varieties and technologies in their farming practices. Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Director ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru, in his address, highlighted lot of potential of new improved varieties and technologies in fruits, vegetables, floriculture and medicinal crops of ICAR- IIHR to be grown in Karaikal and Puducherry districts and urged the need of GI tag for Jasmine flower of Puducherry UT . During the training program, training manual entitled on ‘ICAR-IIHR technologies suitable for farmers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, UT’ was released and distributed to all the
farmers. Various technical know-how on cultivation practices of fruit crops were extended by team of ICAR-IIHR scientists led by Director during field visit. The ICAR-IIHR inputs viz., vegetable seed kit, Dragon fruit and ARKA Kiran Guava fruits planting materials, Neem soap, Pongamia soap and PHT products Arka Jachocolate, Jackfruit cookies were distributed to the SCSP and TSP farmers. The inaugural session ended with a vote of thanks by Prof. Dr. V.Sundaram Professor (Horti). PAJANCOA&RI, Karaikal.
During the technical session, special lectures were delivered by the scientists from ICAR–IIHR, Bengaluru on ‘ICAR–IIHR fruit crop technologies’ by Dr. R. Senthilkumar, Principal Scientist, Div. of Social Sciences & Training; ‘ICAR – IIHR vegetable crop technologies’ by Dr. V.Sankar, Principal Scientist, Div. of Social Sciences & Training; ‘ICAR–IIHR Flower Crop technologies’ by Dr. H. P. Sumangala, , Principal Scientist, Div. of Flowers & Medicinal Crops, ‘ICAR– IIHR Post Harvest technologies’ by Dr. S.Bhuvaneswari, , Principal Scientist, Div. of Post Harvest Tech & Agrl. Engg. And ‘ICAR–IIHR Plant Protection technologies’ by Dr.R.Umamaheswari, Sr. Scientist, Div. of Crop Protection.
Students of PAJANCOA had fruitful interaction with Dr. S.K. Singh, Director ICAR-IIHR, in the students interactive session.The entire programme was co- ordinated by Dr. V. Sankar, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer (TSP), Div. of Social Sciences & Training, Dr.R. Senthilkumar, Principal Scientist & Nodal Officer (SCSP), and Dr. H. P. Sumangala, , Principal Scientist, Div. of Flowers
& Medicinal Crops, ICAR–IIHR, Bengaluru, Dr.S.Bhuvaneswari, Principal Scientist,Division of Post-Harvest Technology and Agricultural Engineering and Dr. R. Uma Maheswari, Division of Crop Protection, ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru. Around 240 numbers of SC/ST farmers,30 PAJANCO staff, 10 officials from KVK and Department of Agriculture, Karaikkal and 150 students were benefitted by this programme. All India Radio, Puducherry did live coverage of the programme. The highlights of this programme were published in several newspapers in regional language, Tamil to give wide publicity.
