12th January 2024, Tamil Nadu
ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana organised a transformative 5-day hands-on training initiative from 8th – 12th January 2024, centered on 'Utilization of banana sheath and its by-products for women empowerment' under the SCSP programme in Tamil Nadu. The primary goal was to empower underprivileged women economically by equipping them with skills to harness the potential of banana sheath for crafting diverse products. This program also sought to broaden their horizons by exploring effective marketing strategies.
Dr. R. Selvarajan, Director, ICAR-NRCB, emphasised the critical need to tap into banana biomass for enhancing farm income through value addition. He underscored the significance of bio-waste generated post-harvest, comprising 45% pseudostem, 5% male flower, and approximately 12% rhizome. Dr. Selvarajan highlighted that the training is for the women meeting the UN SDG goal of gender equality. He said after harvesting the bunch, one can earn and double the amount sold by converting the leaf sheaths into fibre, centre core stem into juice, flower into pickle and thokku, the sap into liquid fertilizer. In light of climate change, Dr. Selvarajan spoke about the tremendous export potential of products derived from natural fibers, urging trainees to collaborate in clusters to maximize profitability and enhance brand value. He emphasized the therapeutic value of the central core stem, particularly in the beverage market.
(Source: ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tamil Nadu)
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