A three-day workshop-cum-training programme from March 19-21, 2025 on “Entrepreneurial Organic Production to Enhance Productivity and Profitability through Value Chain Management of Organic Production Systems and Plant Genetic Resources Conservation” was jointly organized by ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi, and Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Jorhat. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Chetia, Director of Research (Agriculture), AAU, Jorhat, who graced the event as the Chief Guest. The programme witnessed the enthusiastic participation of 150 farmers, including women, from seven villages in Jorhat district, Assam. The training highlighted the importance of conserving traditional crop landraces, promoting organic farming, and preserving plant genetic resources (PGRs). Expert resource persons elaborated on these themes, emphasizing sustainable agricultural practices. The local coordination and resource mobilization for the event were efficiently managed by Dr. Popy Bora, Senior Scientist, AAU-ARRI, Jorhat.
Dr. P.K. Singh, Principal Scientist & Head, Division of Plant Exploration and Germplasm Collection, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi, and Nodal Officer, ICAR-NEH Sub-Plan, provided insights into ICAR-NBPGR’s role in germplasm collection across the country. He underscored the significance of farmer varieties (indigenous germplasm) in modern cultivation practices and stressed the conservation of local crop varieties such as rice landraces, labanya and various field crops. He also highlighted the need for cultivating climate-resilient crops and the establishment of Community Seed Banks (CSBs) at the Panchayat level to ensure seed security and meet food and nutritional demands.
Dr. D.P. Semwal, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NBPGR, elaborated on the objectives of the training programme, which was meticulously designed to explore and promote innovative approaches in organic production and value chain management. He emphasized that such collaborative initiatives were crucial for encouraging organic farming among farmers. Additionally, he discussed gene bank requirements for seed samples of both self- and cross-pollinated crops and their potential applications in future crop improvement.
The programme was further enriched by the presence of esteemed dignitaries, including Dr. Anup Kumar Das, Director of Postgraduate Studies; Dr. Binoy Kumar Medhi, Director of Students’ Welfare, AAU, Jorhat; and Dr. Phuleswar Nath, Chief Scientist and Convenor, AAU-ARRI, Jorhat, Assam, including other professors and scientists. The event was also graced by Dr. G. D. Harish, Officer in charge, ICAR-NBPGR Regional Station, Meghalaya who elaborated the importance of such events and emphasized on organic production and agri-preneurship development as the need of the hour. The event concluded with the distribution of agricultural inputs, farm equipment, and organic pesticides to participating farmers, reinforcing the commitment to sustainable and profitable organic farming.
