National Brainstorming Workshop on IPM

11th October 2023, Cuttack

ICAR-National Rice Research Institute organised a National Brainstorming Workshop on Integrated Pest Management: Challenges and Way Forward (WinPest - 2023) today at Cuttack.

Prof. Sanjay Kumar Nayak, Vice-Chancellor, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack was Chief Guest in the inaugural session. He emphasised agrochemicals, fertilizers and the adoption of bio-based technologies in IPM and voiced the slogans Think Green and Go Green, Say Yes to Plastic but No to Littering.

Dr. Amaresh Kumar Nayak, Director, ICAR-NRRI and Chairman of the workshop emphasised the conservation of agro-ecosystem and the use of safer IPM components under cultural, biological and chemical methods.

Dr. Mukund Variar, Guest of Honour & State Coordinator, IRRI Odisha emphasised the zero tolerance to high-risk pesticides and agrochemicals which should be the last resort to pest management.

Dr. S D Mohapatra, Convenor of the workshop, accentuated the need for the brainstorming workshop and told the workshop indents to dissect the adoption of IPM, its bottlenecks and the way forward to secure food and nutritional security.

The brainstorming workshop featured two technical sessions’ viz. Lead lectures and Panel Discussions. The lead lecture session was chaired by Dr. Hari C Sharma, Former Vice Chancellor, YSPUHF, Solan. There were seven lead lectures delivered by Dr. Subash Chander, Director, ICAR-NCIPM; Dr. Y.G. Prasad, Director, ICAR-CICR; Dr. H. C. Sharma, Former VC, Dr YSPUHF; Dr. M Variar, State Coordinator, IRRI-Odisha, Dr. M.R. Khan, Principal Scientist, ICAR-IARI; Dr. Manoj Semwal, Sr Principal Scientist, CIMAP and Dr. Deo Mishra, Plant health Risk Management Head, Bayer Crop Science.

The panel discussion stressed the monitoring and surveillance, functional agro advisory sectors, timely and quality IPM input supply, formulating norms for the supply of quality bio-agents, and regulatory standards, 4A principle (Awareness, Availability, Accessibility, and Affordability) in order to enhance adoption of IPM practices.

A total of 160 Participants attended the workshop including 135 were attended physically and 25 participated virtually.

(Source: ICAR- National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack)