World soil health day and Tuber Crops Ethnic Food Festival celebrated at KVK, Namsai
The ICAR Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Namsai (ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hills (ICARRCNEH) AP Centre, Basar, Arunachal Pradesh) has organised Tuber Crops Ethnic Food Festival and Stakeholder meet at KVK Campus on the occasion of World Soil Health Day. This mega event was inaugurated by Chow Tewa Mein, Hon’ble MLA, Chongkham in the presence of ICAR-CTCRI Scientists, Districts officials from Agriculture, Fisheries and Industry departments. During the inauguration, Hon’ble Chief guest Chow Tewa Mein indicated that tuber crops like cassava, sweet potato, yams and taro are traditionally cultivated in Namsai, however the value addition of the tubers is yet to be initiated. He called for a collaborative approach involving ICAR-CTCRI, KVK Namsai and District departments of Agriculture and industries to develop small scale industries for processing tuber crops. Dr.P.Sethuraman Sivakumar, Principal Scientist, ICAR-CTCRI indicated that tuber crops products like chips, namkeen, pasta and noodles have high potential for developing farmer-oriented village level industries and ICAR-CTCRI will provide technological and handholding support to interested entrepreneurs. Shri. B.R. Dey, Assistant Director Industries, Namsai indicated that the value addition is a key to double the farmers income and lauded the efforts of ICAR-CTCRI for initiating the value addition efforts in Arunachal Pradesh. Dr.Manish Kanwat, Senior Scientist & Head, KVK, Namsai has elaborated the efforts of the KVK in helping the farmers to maximise their income. Assistant Director Fishery Mr. S.K. Jawal informed the schemed of fishery department and encourage to come forward to use scientific fish farming to double the farmers income by 2022 a flagship scheme of Prime Minister of India. During the meeting, the Hon’ble MLA has distributed Jal Kund, farm equipments, Kalinga Brown chicks and soil health cards to the farmers.
After the stakeholders meet, ICAR-CTCRI scientists Dr. R. Muthuraj and Dr T. Krishnakumar conducted technical sessions on tuber crops varieties, organic farming, quality planting material production and Entreprenunership development through value added products. Dr. Santosh Kumar, SMS KVK, Namsai stressed on soil pollution and explained the soil health and it’s impacted on plant, animal and Human. Dr. BKD Bora explained the use of tuber crops as non-conventional livestock feed. Dr. D. Sasmal explained the soil quality and it’s important in beneficial and quality fish production in Namsai district. During ethic food festival total 13 SHGs and progressive farmers from different village of Namsai district were showed their local recipes. In the continuation of the programme Scientists from ICAR-CTCRI, Kerala demonstrated the preparation of pasta from cassava based tuber crops. Different products like fried snack products such as Chips, Namkeen, pasta, Sabudana, flour and starch prepared from the different tuber crops for various food purposes were also demonstrated during the ethnic food festival.
During the programme 38 numbers of soil health card and about 122 farmers, members of self help groups, Farmers Producers Organisations participated in the event. This programme is expected to kickstart a new collaborative field intervention in the Namsai district.
