GUWAHATI, Oct 14: Institute of Horticulture Technology (IHT) organized two-day training-cum-semir on ‘Production of Quality Planting Material’ at Farmers’ Training Centre, Directorate of Horticulture & Food Processing, Assam. The programme concluded on Saturday.
The semir was iugurated by Agriculture Agriculture Production Commissioner KK Mittal, Government of Assam. The distinguished dignitaries who attended the semir included Prabin Hajarika, Director, Horticulture & Food Processing, Assam; Dr. HC Bhattachrjee, Director Extension Education, Assam Agricultural University, Assam; Lunghar Obed, Director Coconut Development Board, Assam; Jayanta Samal DGM, BAD, Assam and Dr. SC Panwar, Joint Director, NHB, Assam. Farmers from Assam and Manipur attended the semir. The semir had a mandate for interactive lectures and hands on training.
In his iugural address, Mittal outlined the priority of quality planting material in cultivation. He explained as to how different varieties of crops are meant for self use or local market and processing factories. On this occasion, a special newsletter published by IHT was released by Mittal. He also outlined the need to work with IHT in PPP mode for the production of plants through tissue culture or by plug type nursery. He was pleased to know about the activities of IHT across different states of India and for other countries with respect of providing hands on trainings in innovative technologies in Horticulture. He felt the need of keeping contact with the farmers who undertake trainings.
Horticulture & Food Processing Director Prabin Hazarika mentioned different schemes for the welfare of the farmers and the need to work with IHT for imparting hands on trainings to the farmers of Assam.
Dr. H.C. Bhattachrjee, Director, Extension Education, Assam Agricultural University, spoke on the attitude which farmers need to change for the adoption of new technologies in Horticulture.
Sanjay Sudan, Co-chairman, IHT and Dr Umesh Kohli, Director IHT spoke on the possibilities of honing the skill of farmers for doubling their income by developing bio-entrepreneurship in the north-eastern region.
The farmers from Manipur were provided with hands on trainings on ‘dendrobium’ cut flower production technology under IHT-IBSD collaborative project on ‘dendrobium’ cut flower production in Manipur.
Various speakers who interacted with famers included Mr. Prabin Hajarika, Director, Horticulture & Food Processing, Assam; Dr. H.C. Bhattachrjee Director Extension Education, Assam Agricultural University, Assam; Lunghar Obed, Director Coconut Development Board, Assam; Jayanta Samal DGM, BAD, Assam; Dr. S.C. Panwar, Joint Director, NHB, Assam. The speakers interacted with the famers and cleared many queries regarding the production of quality planting material.
Day 2 started with thought-provoking interactions by Dr H. C Bhattacharya Director Extension Education AAU who spoke on women empowerment and their role in Horticulture. The technical session was chaired by Dr HC Bhattacharya, Director Extension Education, AAU along with Dr A K Tripathi, Director ICAR, Dr S C Panwar Joint Director tiol Horticulture Board, and Dr U K Kohli, Director IHT. This session started with exhaustive interaction of the farmers with panelists. The farmers were provided with solutions in local languages about the technologies in young plant production. Interactive ectures that was followed by farmers – experts’ question answer session, resulted in solutions to farmers’ difficulties in accessing quality planting material.
Dr A. K Deka, Horticulture Expert from AAU spoke on important components of Horticulture nurseries which included fruits, flowers, vegetables and medicil and aromatic plants. He detailed the importance of mother plants, root stocks, scions, bud wood and seeds for generation of quality planting material.
Nippon expert from IHT detailed the production technology for commercial production of ‘dendrobium’ cut flower.
The hand on training was provided to participating farmers from Assam and Manipur for production of quality planting material in vegetable and flowers. A special interactive session was held with farmers of Manipur on dendrobium planting material production.