A Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) Programme, in association with Department of Horticulture, Tirupattur Taluk and KVK, Krishnagiri was organised on 4 May 2023, to create awareness about advanced horticultural production technologies in Puthurnadu village of Tirupattur Taluk in Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu.
Dr Sunderraj, Programme Coordinator, KVK, Krishnagiri, gave an introduction about the programme and about the activities of the KVK. Dr R Venkattakumar, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer, TSP, ICAR-IIHR gave a talk about ICAR-IIHR activities, about Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC) of ICAR-IIHR and the services of ATIC through sale and distribution of technological products and publications. Dr Kalaivanan, Senior Scientist, ICAR-IIHR explained about different products of ICAR-IIHR for management of natural resources in an effective manner. Dr Manjunatha Gowda, Scientist, ICAR-IIHR detailed about ICAR-IIHR vegetable varieties that are distributed to the tribal farmers. Various queries of these farmers were also answered by the scientists. The programme was organized at the house of progressive tribal farmer Mr Annamalai.
ICAR-IIHR inputs such as vegetable special, mango special, neem soap, Arka Microbial Consortia (AMC), mulching sheet, vegetable seeds such as tomato (Arka Samrat), bhendi (Arka Nikitha), brinjal (Arka Harshita) and beans (Arka Suvidha) were distributed to the tribal farmers. More than 50 tribal farmers of the village participated and benefitted through this programme. There was a demand for organizing such programmes to create awareness about flower crops and production technologies also, as there is a potential, in these villages.
Mr Ramaiah, Assistant Horticultural Officer (AHO) from Department of Horticulture, Government of Tamil Nadu participated and helped in organizing this programme. He also requested to organize future such programmes in other tribal villages of the taluk, for which, the Department will extend a wholehearted support