Considering the significance of fruit crop diversification in bringing sustainability,enhancing farm income,ensuring nutritional security and addressing the challenge of climatic vagaries the Central Horticultural Experiment Station (ICAR-IIHR),Bhubaneswar organized a “Workshop on Fruit Crop Diversification for Sustainability and Nutritional Security ” on 29th November, 2019 under RKVY. The program was attended by more than 70 participants comprising of scientists, horticulture officers, farmers from Boudh, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Khurda and Rayagada and PhD and MSc students of OUAT and SoA. While inaugurating the program, Prof. K. K. Rout, Dean, College of Agriculture, OUAT highlighted the significance of crop diversification in the existing farming system of the region.He told that horticulture played vital role not only in enhancing income of farmers, but also in ensuring efficient resource utilization. Dr. G C Acharya, Head I/c, CHES, Bhubaneswar welcomed the guests and highlighted the activities of the station as well as the scope of fruit crop diversification for the development of Horticulture in the region. Dr. Chintamoni Panda, Professor, OUAT emphasized on the need of diversification for income enhancement and nutritional security. Sh. K. C. Mohapatra, a progressive farmer of Rayagada, shared his experience of diversification in fruit crops. He told that apart from mango and banana, the eastern Ghat region is well suitable for the cultivation of sweet orange (Mosambi and Sathgudi). He also appreciated CHES, Bhubaneswar for extending technological support. Dr. Kundan Kishore, Coordinator, gave a brief account of the workshop and highlighted the suitability of fruit crops for diversification in this region.
Prof. Chintamani Panda, delivered a lecture on potential of fruit crop diversification and Dr. Kundan Kishore highlighted viable options of fruit crop diversification along with their economic viability. Dr. Deepa Samant highlighted nutritional aspect of fruit crops. The participants were exposed to various models of crop diversification such as mango + pineapple, mango + dragon fruit, mango + pineapple + dragon fruit, mango + ber, custard apple, etc. Economic viability of different models was also demonstrated.Farmers were advised to practice viable crop combination(s) as it not only helped in income diversification but also minimised the intensity of crop damage due to weather vagaries like cyclone.Farmers realized the need of diversification and expressed their willingness to practice the same. The program was coordinated by Dr. Kundan Kishore with the help Dr. Deepa Samant and Suchitra Behera.
