Port Blair, Sept 26: A three days training programme on ‘Nursery management of horticultural crops’ was organized under NABARD Urban Horticulture project from September 23 to 25, 2021. Quality planting material production is one of the commercial agricultural activities, which requires scientific knowledge and skill about propagation techniques, protected structures etc. The programme aimed at imparting this skill to the island youth by providing hands on training. Programme was inaugurated by watering long pepper plant, indicating the importance of herbal plants in maintaining health during the pandemic period.
During the inaugural programme, Dr. E.B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-CIARI and Chief Guest of the programme emphasized on developing skills among the youth for promoting agri-based entrepreneurship in the islands. Guest of honor of the programme, Mr. H. Manoj, General Manager, NABARD, briefed the participants about role of NABARD in supporting various agro-based activities in the islands. Graduate and postgraduate students from JNRM, ANCOL, Annamalai University, members of self-help group and entrepreneurs got benefitted from the training programme.
An exhibition of nursery inputs and supplies was organized as a basic introduction about the enterprise. Dr. Pooja Bohra, Scientist, CIARI and Course Director of the programme. During various practical sessions, participants were provided with hands on experience on techniques of propagation through seeds, stem cuttings, division of vegetative parts, air layering, serpentine layering, grafting and preparation of growth regulators for various operations by Dr.Ajit Arun Waman, coordinator of the programme. CIARI developed technology- Dweep Pro Dhaniya Multi was demonstrated to the stakeholders during the programme apart from demonstrations on vermicompost preparation by Dr. T. Subramani and use of bio-pesticides for pest and disease management in nursery by Mrs. Shannon N. Sangma. In the exposure visit, Institute demonstration Unit were shown wherein they were guided about immunity boosting plants for urban places. An exposure visit was also paid to the Horticulture Plants Propagation Unit of the institute to show various protected structures, irrigation setups and diversity of important horticultural plants of the islands.