Port Blair, July 28: ICAR of Zonal Technology Management - Business Planning and Development Unit of National Institute of Jute and Allied Fibre Technology, Kolkata conducted an “Agri Business Camp” in association with Central Agricultural Research Institute, ICAR, on July 27th 2013 at Port Blair.
The Chief Guest, Shri Anand Prakash, Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Administration inaugurated the function and appreciated the effort taken by the Central Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR) to organize this event. He mentioned that viable technologies should be promoted with sufficient funding so that one can earn better livelihood for which he requested the Department of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries to join hands with CARI to promote the technology transfer to the needy farmers. He also said that since the area availability for Agriculture is less, the intensive cultivation with high yielding varieties is only solution to enhance the production and productivity in the Islands.
Dr. S. Dam Roy, Director, CARI welcomed the gatherings and mention that the institute has developed 32 commercializable technologies of which 4 have been already commercialized. He further said that the ITMU of CARI will be helping all the progressive farmers and young entrepreneurs to enter into commercial venture in agriculture and allied fields.
Dr. A.N. Roy, CPI, NAIP-I, ZTM-BPD unit, gave an overview of Zonal Technology Management Unit and appraised the list of technologies and opportunities for the young entrepreneurs in Agribusiness.
Dr. D. Rama Rao, National Director, NAIP, ICAR, has informed that ICAR has commercialized 80 technologies and earned 5 crores worth of revenue. He urged that the agro technologies has to be upscaled in the parts of eastern India so as to competitive with the other parts of India. He further said that the motto of ICAR is not to make revenue but it work with the slogan of “farmers first and attract the youth to the Agribusiness.”
Later on, the ITMU In charges from ICAR institutes of eastern India showcased their technologies, made the presentation and interacted with agri-entrepreneurs and progressive farmers. At the end, Dr.M.Sankaran In charge ITMU, CARI proposed the vote of thanks.