Port Blair, Sept. 22: ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, KVK Nicobar along with ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat & Barley Research, Karnal conducted one day programme on 21st Sep 2022 at Tampoiming village, Car Nicobar under Scheduled Tribe Component.

Speaking on the occasion the Chief Guest, Mr. Simon William (2nd Headman) appreciated the efforts of the ICAR Institutes in conducting such fruitful programme benefitting the tribal farmers of the Nicobar area. He requested for imparting many more programmes in the agriculture and allied field.

Shri Kishore (4th Headman) & Guest of honour exhorted the participant to take the maximum benefits from visiting scientific teams of ICAR.

During the technical section Dr Satyavir Singh, Principal Scientist and Dr. Anil Khippal, Principal Scientist, ICAR-IIWBR, Karnal highlighted on the importance of the barley and millets in the daily diets.

Dr Y. Ramakrishna, Principal Scientist and Head, KVK spoke on the possible technological intervention with scientific support of his team with an objective to enhance the crop productivity and income of the farmers. He also requested the Chief Guest to select the interested farmers in small groups for an exposure visit to Port Blair to learn scientific farming at ICAR-CIARI, KVK and progressive farmer’s fields.

Dr S.K. Zamir Ahmed, Principal Scientist impressed upon the idea of propagating agro-ecotourism, the flagship programme of the institute, which will sustain the biodiversity of area and also provide additional income to the youths.

A set of vegetable seeds comprising high yielding variety of bhendi, amnaranthus and cow pea were distributed. A total of 76 farmers (including 33 male and 43 female) attended the programme. 

The scientific team also visited different technological intervention plots of KVK at farmers field with pheromone traps in cucurbits, bhendi A5, CIARI-Brinjal 1 & 2, amaranthusPusared, PalakPusa All green at Big Lapathy, Chukchuka, Tapoiming and Tamaloo.  Farmers expressed their happiness on the performance of the varieties and offered suggestions for its up scaling. The programme was coordinated by Dr S.K.Zamir Ahmed, Dr. Y. Rama Krishna & Dr. Jayakumaravaradan   under the plan & guidance of Dr E.B. Chakurkar Director ICAR-CIARI , Port Blair.