A three-day training programme on ‘Methods of open and protected cultivation in vegetables’ was organised by Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops along with Embassy of Israel here on Tuesday.
Uri Rubenstein, Agriculture Attache MASHAV, Embassy of Israel said, “The centre of excellence, Reddiyarchatram which provides hands on training to thousands of farmers in the region, was started in 2013 with the objective to encourage innovation in horticulture with the help of technology provided by Israel. This Centre will play an important role in the development of the district as well as the State.”
By utilising the training programmes farmers would be able to get better yields by using the latest methods of farming, he added.
In addition to better yield, by using the latest methods of farming, farmers would be able to grow vegetables to match the export quality, Mr. Rubenstein said.
“Nurseries of other agricultural produce including vegetables will be prepared at this centre of excellence to promote the horticulture sector globally,” he informed.
Additional Director of Horticulture Ram Prasad said that the climate of Dindigul district suitable for growing a wide variety of horticultural crops would be suitable for setting up the centre of excellence for vegetables at Reddiarchatram.
“Protray seedling production of tomato, brinjal, chilli and cauliflower are done in the hi-tech climate-controlled poly greenhouses while cultivation of both indigenous and exotic vegetables are done in both the open field and protected structures,” he added.
Along with automated micro-irrigation management system, a trial demonstration of plots with fertigation were functioning efficiently by using precision farming techniques, he said.
“All the demonstration fields are installed with mulching sheets for effective weed management and thereby reducing application of chemical weedicides,” Mr. Prasad said.
Israeli vegetable expert Daniel Hadad along with participants inspected the centre’s open and protected structures where vegetable seedlings are being grown in a controlled environment.
The technology for the Centre was provided by Israeli experts under the India-Israel Action Plan (IIAP) with funds for building infrastructure for demonstration purposes from MIDH.
The centres of excellence act as demonstration and training centres for the latest technologies for area specific in the field of horticulture.
The training were attended by vegetable cultivation experts, entrepreneurs from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Assam to discuss and explore the advancements.
Published - November 12, 2024 09:18 pm IST
