A capacity building programme on ICAR–IIHR technologies was organized under SCSP and TSP special programmes of ICAR –IIHR, Bengaluru in collaboration with Annamalai University and Vivekananda Trust, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu on 16th August 2023.
Prof. Dr. S. Arivudainambi, Member-Syndicate & Director, IQAC, Annamalai University welcomed the gathering and elucidated the role of Annamalai University in serving the farming community through agricultural education and extension activities. It was followed by Presidential address by Prof. Dr. R. Singaravel, Registrar (I/C), Annamalai University and special address given by Dr. M.V. Sriramachandrasekharan, Dean (I/C), who reiterated the importance of advanced technologies to improve the soil health and crop productivity.
Prof. Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Director, ICAR-IIHR, Bangalore delivered the inaugural address and enlightened the farmers and students about ICAR –IIHR, ranking the first among the ICAR institutes in serving the horticultural sector with new improved varieties and technologies in fruits, vegetables, floriculture and medicinal crops. He emphasized the scope of collaborative, multi-disciplinary research, teaching and extension activities between ICAR - IIHR, Bengaluru and AU, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu. During the program, A training manual on ‘ICAR-IIHR technologies suitable for farmers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, UT’ was released by the delegates on the dais and distributed to all the farmers. The ICAR-IIHR inputs viz., vegetable seeds and fruits planting materials, PHT products, biofertilizers and biopesticides were distributed to the farmers. The inaugural session ended with a vote of thanks by Prof. Dr. S. Rameshkumar, Deputy Director (IQAC), Annamalai University.
During the technical sessions scientists from ICAR –IIHR, Bengaluru delivered special talks on ‘ICAR–IIHR fruit crop technologies’:Dr.R. Senthilkumar, Principal Scientist, Div. of Social Sciences & Training; ‘ICAR –IIHR vegetable crop technologies’: Dr. V. Sankar, , Principal Scientist, Div. of Social Sciences & Training; ‘ICAR–IIHR Flower Crop technologies’: Dr. H. P. Sumangala, , Principal Scientist, Div. of Flowers & Medicinal Crops, ‘ICAR–IIHR Post Harvest technologies’: Dr. S. Bhuvaneswari, , Principal Scientist, Div. of Post Harvest Tech & Agrl. Engg. and ‘ICAR–IIHR Plant Protection technologies’ : Dr.R.Umamaheswari, Sr. Scientist, Div. of Crop Protection.
The programme ended with concluding remarks and vote of thanks by Dr. C.T. Sathappan, Associate Professor (Hort.), Annamalai University, Chidambaram. The entire programme was co-ordinated by Dr.R. Senthilkumar, Principal Scientist & Nodal Officer (SCSP), Dr. V. Sankar, Principal Scientist Nodal Officer (TSP), Div. of Social Sciences & Training 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, Bengalore. Around 200 SC/ST farmers and 100 students were benefitted by this programme. A wide publicity was given to this programme through newspapers in English and Tamil.
