Port Blair, Dec 16: Training programme on “Spices cultivation in A & N Islands” was organized by CARI, Port Blair funded by CSS-NHM on Spices, DASD, Calicut in collaboration with ORC, Diglipur and Centre for Participatory Training and Learning (CPTL an NGO) at Diglipur on 10th and Mayabunder on 11th December, 2013.
On 10th December, 2013 training was held at Keralapuram Panchayat Hall. Shri Alok Biswas, IMC member, grace the occasion, Mr. Narayan Mandal, Gram Pradhan, Kishori Nagar was the Chief guest and Shri S. Prashanth, Agriculture Assistant participated on behalf of Zonal Office, Department of Agriculture, Diglipur. While speaking on the occasion Shri Narayan Mandal appreciated the efforts of CARI in imparting field level training on the spices. Shri Alok Biswas exhorted the farmers to make appropriate use of the knowledge imparted by the scientist of CARI. During technical session Dr. M. Sankaran, Senior Scientist(Horticulture) & Team Leader , Dr. V. Damodaran, ACTO and Dr. S.K. Zamir Ahmed, Senior Scientist (Agril. Extension) and Coordinator, ORC explained in detail about the package and practices of spices like clove, cinnamon, blackpepper, turmeric and ginger. The queries related to problems faced while cultivating spices crops were addressed during the session by the team. Shri Laxman, a progressive farmer from Kalipur acted as a resource person on how to do rapid multiplication of pepper cuttings on bamboo. Shri Prashanth, Agriculture Assistant spoke about the scheme extended through NHM for supporting spices cultivation. A total of 117 participated in the programme. Selected farmers were distributed with 6,000 seednuts of arecanut var. Mangla and Samridhi and 125 seedlings of each blackpepper, clove and cinnamon raised at Horticulture farm of CARI for planting in the garden.
Diagnostic services was also extended by the team to a farmer with arecanut plantation having infestation of bud rot at Krishnapuri and treatment was suggested.
On 11th December, dedicated programme for the Karen Community on “Spices cultivation” was held at Ramnagar Panchayat Hall, Mayabunder. Shri Lashi, Up-pradhan was the Chief guest. While extending his gratitude, he expressed to have more programmes on livelihood Options for the people. He requested the farmers to understand the technology and to make use of the Knowledge imparted by the team of Scientists from CARI. Mr. Theodar, Panchayat Secretary, Rev. Setha and Mrs. Thomson Sebia were the guest of honour.
Mr. Ravi George, Executive Director of CPTL was also present on the occasion. Detailed on the Package of Practices on Spices were dealt by the team followed by interaction, wherein the feedback was collected. A total of 111 participated in the programme. Selected farmers were distributed with 125 seedlings of each blackpepper, clove and cinnamon raised at Horticulture farm of CARI for planting in the garden. Both the programmes was conducted under plan and guidance of Dr. S. Dam Roy, Director, CARI.
