Port Blair, Sept 9: ICAR-CIARI , Port Blair has conducted live streaming of mega event “Nutri-Cereals Multi-stakeholders Mega Convention 3.0”organized jointly with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, (DAC & FW) Government of India, on 17th September 2021.This event was a curtain raiser for series of events to be organized with theme: Run- up for “International Year of Millets (IYOM) 2023”.
The mega event under the Chairmanship and plan and guidance of Dr. Eaknath B Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-CIARI was conducted at CIARI, Garacharma research complex, besides Krishi Vigan Kendra of South, North & Middle and Car Nicobar covering all the three districts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands ,for the benefits of women farmers and the stakeholders of the area.
The program started with the deliberation by Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar, Hon’ble Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare along with other Central Ministers, Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research and other dignitaries, were viewed by participating girls students and farm women with zeal and enthusiasm.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-CIARI and the Chairperson expressed his happiness over the presence of large gatherings of women on this day. He spoke to the girl students (40 Nos.) and women farmers (96 Nos) who assembled following COVID 19 protocols from different cluster of villages of South Andaman on the importance of Poshan month and the role played by the millets in providing nutritional security . He also stressed to refer back to the ancestors of the family settled from different regions of north/south/east and west of India in this Mini India (ANI) to know about the uses and nutritional value of millets in their daily food. He was happy to know on the knowledge possessed by the school children on millets like ragi and health benefits of the same.
Guest of honour Mr. Rajendra Pal, BDO, Ferrargunj emphasised upon the importance of diet during pregnancy and lactation for creating healthy generation next. Nodal Officer Dr. Y. Ramakrishna, Pr. Scientist & Head, KVK in his key note address briefed about the activities of KVK and need of Mission Poshan 3.0.
During the technical session the participants’ were enlightened on Nutri-cereals role on human health, plantation for sustainable agriculture and rural livelihood, strategies to meet nutritional requirement in islands, importance of pulses and oilseeds in daily diets, role of animal produce in combating malnutrition and importance of role of women in nutritious kitchen garden by the team of experts from CIARI & KVK namely Dr.S. K. Zamir Ahmed, Pr. Scientist & In-charge, Social Science . Dr L.B Singh, Dr.B.K Nanda, Dr.Bommayasamy ,Dr.Zachariah George and Dr.Pooja Kapoor., SMS .
The highlight of the program was the recipes made by the millets and the rangoli depicting nutritious crops like Drumstick, Spinach, Dates, Makhana, Chilli, Bhendi, Aonla, Pulses, Red Amarthaus, Brinjal , Soyabean, Burma Dhaniya & Groundnut beside sharing of experience on nutritious food by the farmwomen during extempore speech.
In the concluding session Director CIARI distributed fruit saplings (133) and vegetable seed kits(171 nos.) to the farmers and also planted fruit bearing saplings at KVK Instructional Farm and spices saplings at Horticulture farm of CIARI by the participating farmers following the principles of “ learning by doing and teaching by doing”.
