Workshop on conservation of plant genetic resources organised in Dima Hasao

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HAFLONG: A workshop on conservation of plant genetic resources was organised by the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resource, New Delhi in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Haflong, Dima Hasao and a local active farmer Mohen Phangchu from Longku village on Friday.

About 140 farmers mainly women farmers from nearby villages including self- help groups have participated in the workshop. The workshop began with the welcome address by Dr RS Rath, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi. Dr KC Bhatt, Principal Scientist of ICAR-NBPGR explained the purpose of organising the workshop and informed that the North-eastern Hill Region is considered a hotspot of biodiversity but presently due to various reasons, the valuable genetic resources of these regions are eroding from the region.

Now the time has come to make efforts for conservation of such precious diversity as this can be utilised for breeding of new varieties. Keeping this in view, farmers from a remote village Longku and nearby villages were made aware of the conservation of local plant genetic resources under the NEH sub-plan of government of India.

Dr RS Rath informed that ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi has the second largest gene bank in the world where about six lakh germplasm are conserved. These germplasm has several important traits which can be utilised in crop improvement as well as to mitigate the adverse effect of climate change. Subhajit Mohapatra, KVK Haflong also spoke on need of conservation of plant genetic resources. Mohen Phangchu has assured for the establishment of a healthy linkage between KVK and farmers. In the workshop, local crop diversity brought by the farmers was also displayed and in the end, small agricultural tools were also distributed among the participants of the workshop.

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