Thiruvananthapuram: On the third day of the ongoing Kerala press tour organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar, media delegation from Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, visited the headquarters of the ICAR–Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram. The institute is a premier national research organisation dedicated to intensifying research and development on tropical tuber crops.
During the visit, the delegation interacted with senior functionaries of ICAR-CTCRI. Dr. G. Byju, Director, ICAR-CTCRI, provided a comprehensive overview of the institute’s mandate, research priorities and contributions. He highlighted the critical role of the media in disseminating scientific knowledge and transferring agricultural technologies to farmers and stakeholders.
He informed that ICAR-CTCRI is one of the centres of the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Pre- and Post-Harvest Technology and is engaged in basic, strategic and applied research on edible tropical tuber crops such as cassava, sweet potato, elephant foot yam, yams and taro.
Dr. Byju underlined that the institute works across the entire value chain of tuber crops, from germplasm utilisation and varietal improvement to post-harvest processing and product development. He noted that out of 161 tuber crop varieties released in the country so far, 79 have been developed by ICAR-CTCRI, reflecting the institute’s significant contribution. He further stated that the institute is focused on improving the nutritional quality of tuber crops, adopting climate-smart, regenerative and precision production practices, and undertaking climate modelling studies for future readiness.
Crop protection, including management of biotic stresses, and secondary agriculture through development of products such as starch and modified starch, eco-friendly articles and other value-added products, were also highlighted as key research areas. Emphasising livelihood enhancement, he said that ICAR-CTCRI translates and scales up its technologies for end users and supports agri-business initiatives by handholding start-ups through its incubation activities.
The Director was accompanied by his team comprising Dr. Sheela Immanuel, Scientist-in-Charge (Extension and Social Sciences); Dr. G. Suja, Scientist-in-Charge (Crop Production); Dr. Manas R. Sahoo, Scientist-in-Charge (Crop Improvement); Dr. J. Sreekumar, Scientist-in-Charge (AICRP); Dr. Sunitha, Farm In-Charge; Dr. Sajeev M.S., Scientist-in-Charge (Crop Utilisation); and Dr. Jeeva M.L., Scientist-in-Charge (Crop Protection).
Following the interaction, the media delegation visited the institute’s museum, which showcases tuber crop technologies, products and publications for the benefit of farmers and other stakeholders.
The delegation was also taken to the crop protection facilities, where technologies for producing bioformulations from crop residues were demonstrated, including products such as Nanma, Menma and Shreya. The visit further included the institute’s workshop and techno-incubation centre, equipped for hands-on training in entrepreneurship and value addition in tuber crops. The delegation concluded the visit at the Root sMart Mall, which offers a range of ICAR-developed technologies and products at affordable prices through a single marketplace.
The Srinagar-based media delegation is on a five-day visit to Kerala as part of PIB’s media outreach programme aimed at providing journalists first-hand exposure to major national institutions and development initiatives. The delegation is led by Shri Majid Pandit, Media & Communication Officer, PIB Srinagar, who is the Conducting Officer for the press tour.
