The ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) Bengaluru organized a capacity building programme on IMPROVED PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES, POST HARVEST PROCESSING AND VALUE ADDITION IN AVOCADO, CUSTARD APPLE, JACK FRUIT, KAMALAM FRUIT AND TAMARIND FOR FARMERS OF JHARKHAND STATE under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture from 12th to 17th Feb 2024 to create awareness among the farmers about advances in production technologies and post-harvest management in the above mentioned crops . Around 59 farmers representing five districts of Jharkhand (Ranchi, Kunthi, West Singhbhum, Simdega and Gumla) participated in the programme.
The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Prakash Patil, Director (Acting), ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru. Farmers were briefed about all the relevant ICAR-IIHR technologies followed by crop specific presentations covering fruits, vegetables and flower crops. The field and lab visits were arranged to National Horticulture fair demonstrations, Integrated farming system in fruit crops, High density fruit orchards, rain water harvesting, drip irrigation systems, fruit crops nursery, post-harvest handling of jack fruit, mango, guava, jamun and their products. A special lecture by a successful Jack fruit entrepreneur was arranged about business opportunities exist in Jack fruit for the benefit of the trainees.
Two exposure visits were arranged on fruit genetic diversity park and Post harvest handling of fruits and vegetables at University of Horticulture Sciences, Bagalkot Campus and Central Horticultural Experiment Station, Hirehalli. Dr. Karunakaran Principal Scientist explained about production, propagation and value addition of future fruit crops (Dragan fruit, Avocado, Jack fruit, jamun and Tamarind )
During valedictory programme, farmers expressed their satisfaction for attending the training at ICAR-IIHR Bengaluru and the program was ended with distribution of Certificate and inputs (Siddu-Jack fruit grafted plant, Arka Kiran guava fruit plant, Arka Microbial Consortia, Arka Neem Soap, Arka Vegetable special, Arka Subra (velvet bean), Arka Suvida (French bean), Arka Prasidhi (Dolichos bean) and Arka Uttam (garden pea) distribution to all the beneficiaries. The entire program was coordinated by Dr.Sumangala, H.P.,Principal Scientist Dr. V. Sankar Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer TSP and Dr. R. Senthil Kumar Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer SCSP Program of ICAR-IIHR .
