ICAR- CTCRI celebrates its Diamond Jubilee

22nd July 2023, Thiruvananthapuram

ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram celebrated its 60th Foundation Day in the Institute today.

The Chief Guest, Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) in his inaugural address emphasised the role of ICAR as the base of Indian agriculture and said agriculture should not be considered just as an occupation, but also as a means to ensure food and nutritional security of the nation. He informed that ICAR has taken three main initiatives such as certification of technologies, expanding the education in ICAR research institutes and also need close collaboration with private companies for technology development and commercialisation.

He inaugurated Farmer Facilitation Centre, Climate controlled plant growth facility, E-crop based smart fertigation system, Agri business Incubation (ABI) Centre, ‘Diamond Jubilee Hall’ and exhibition stalls. As part of Diamond Jubilee celebration one variety of CMD resistant cassava ‘Sree kaveri’ and two varieties of high yielding taro varieties ‘Sree Heera and Sree Telia were released.

Dr. G. Byju, Director, ICAR- CTCRI in his presidential address highlighted research achievements of ICAR CTCRI, such as, release of one cassava variety and two high yielding taro varieties, 15 new varieties recommended for 12 agro climatic regions of India and about the 8 technologies which were approved by ICAR in this year.

Dr. K.B. Hebbar (Director, ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod), Dr. R. Dinesh (ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode), Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan (Director, ICAR-CMFRI, Kochi), Dr. George Ninan (Director, ICAR-CIFT, Kochi) and Dr. Jacob John (Director of Extension, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur) graced the occasion..

During the event, MoUs were signed between ICAR-CTCRI and Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram and Rubber Research Institute, Kottayam.

Also honoured 7 progressive tuber crop farmers across India, and exhibitions by ICAR/ State Institutes for school children were organised.

 More than 100 farmers and 500 students participated in the celebrations.

(Source: ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram)