Sri Vijaya Puram, November 10: The ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (CIARI), Sri Vijaya Puram, has been in pursuit of remunerative options for the farmers of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In one such pioneering effort, a distillation facility for the extraction of essential oil has been created under the CSS-MIDH (NHM) Project on Spices of the institute.
As part of the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, an exposure visit cum training programme was conducted yesterday on the theme ‘Systematic Cultivation and Value Addition Opportunities in Spice and Plantation Crops’ under the CSS-MIDH (NHM) Project on Spices and the AICRP on Plantation Crops Project. The prime purpose of the programme was to provide an overview of the scientific management of spices and plantation crops. The programme started at the Horticulture Research Farm, Sippighat, where live demonstrations were conducted by Dr. Ajit Arun Waman and Dr. Pooja Bohra, Senior Scientists and Course Directors, on scientific cinnamon harvesting using Dweep CinnRub, coconut dehusking using a mechanical dehusker, and a coconut climbing device. Further, nursery raising in coconut, improved varieties, various plantation-based intercropping systems, and harvesting and postharvest management in spices were shown in the field. The farmers were educated about integrating farming with tourism through agroecotourism options.
During the second session, farmers visited the Field Distillation Unit of the institute, where distillation of essential oil was demonstrated to them, followed by its packaging and uses. Farmers were also shown the techniques of grafting for obtaining quality planting material in dioecious and perennial horticultural crops, and protected cultivation of woody pepper. In the valedictory session of the event, Dr. Jai Sunder, Director (A), ICAR-CIARI, declared the distillation facility an incubation facility for island stakeholders in the presence of Dr. Raj Narayan, Head (Horticulture). He said that interested people can bring their quality raw material of spices and aromatic plants to the Bathu Basti campus of the institute and get the oil distilled at a nominal charge of Rs 100 per batch. Dr. Sunder urged the participants to utilise the facility for diversifying their income avenues through value addition technologies. The programme was attended by 40 female and 21 male participants from nine villages of South Andaman Island and was coordinated by Mr. T. Yaghambaram, Pradhan, Calicut; Mrs. Ramya, PRI Member; Fr. Arokyasamy, DISHA-SURABI; and Ms. Baby Rani Biswas, ATMA, with institute staff Mr. Ujjwal Kumar, Ms. Shyamlawathi, Mr. Dilip Kumar and Mr. Sandeep Kujur.
