Model training course on tuber crops begins

Agriculture and horticulture officers from various divisions in the Agriculture Departments of several states in India are taking part in a model training course on ‘Sustainable management strategies of tuber crops-based cropping systems’ at Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Sreekariyam.

 The programme was inaugurated by K A Muraleedharan, deputy director general of All-India Radio, on Friday. In the inaugural address, he mentioned about the status tuber crops had in the food menu of Keralites once.

 In the eight-day workshop, 18 representatives from Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala are participating. The programme is aimed at imparting knowledge on the recent technological advancements in tuber crops scenario. The participants will also get acquainted with the techniques through field visits. In this manner, they would visit tuber crops-based cropping systems in urban/semi-urban areas and a small-scale factory. The impact of participatory technology transfer is emphasised in the visit to TAR-IVLP village.

 Each day, classes on various topics related to tuber crops would be dealt with by experts. On the concluding day, there will be assignment presentation and post-evaluation. CTCRI Director S K Chakrabarthi presided over the function. The programme is sponsored by the Directorate of Extension in the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi.