Port Blair, Feb 23: ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute Port Blair conducted Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDP) on Value Addition in Local Fruits and Vegetables & Post Harvest Utilization and Value Addition of Fish for Nicobar tribes of Car Nicobar during 15-21 February 2020 at ICAR-CIARI Port Blair. The program was supported by National SC-ST Hub of Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India and organized in collaboration with KrishiVigyan Kendra, Nicobar under the chairmanship of Dr. B. Augustine Jerard, Director ICAR-CIARI. Altogether 20 participants from Car Nicobar participated in this seven days residential training programme which was coordinated by Dr. K Abirami and Dr.SreepriyaPrakasan scientists of ICAR-CIARI. Ten each Nicobari youth have participated in the two programmes.
A hand on training was given to participants on development of value added products from locally available fruits, vegetables and fishes. The developed products were exhibited and covered through Doordarshan program along with sensory analysis of value added products by a selected panelist. During the programme, the trainees were also exposed to production units and markets.
During the valedictory session which was conducted on 21 February 2020, Dr.SreepriyaPrakasan and Dr.PoojaKapoor summarized in the training report that post harvest utilization and value addition of agricultural produce remain a thrust area for livelihood and employment opportunities of tribal community. Lot of resources remains wasted and unutilized in absence of proper post harvest utilization of the resources. However if they process and develop products from the fruits and vegetables as well as fishery resources, then that could be marketed well within the Islands as well as outside with smart marketing tools. There is a greater demand for value added products from these resources which are mainly imported from mainland. There is a greater potential of we can promote the tribal women and youths to get trained in product development which could develop livelihood and employment opportunities in the Islands.
The trainees from Car Nicobar gave positive feedback on the outcome of the training program and they also assured with confidence that they will take initiatives in developing a local market for value added products in Car Nicobar to enhance their livelihood, employment opportunities and to sustainably utilize the underutilized fishery and fruits & vegetable resources of the Island.
Dr. B. A Jerard, Director ICAR-CIARI highlighted the importance and need for value addition of available resources for improving the livelihood of Nicobar tribes. He also stressed the need to develop self-employment opportunities by the trainees implementing the knowledge gained out of the training programme.