8th – 10th January 2025, Tamil Nadu

ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana organised a 3-day capacity development programme titled ‘Exposure Visit Under Capacity Building for Adoption of Banana Technology’ for farmers of the Nanminda Co-operative Society in Kozhikode district, Kerala, from 8th–10th January 2025. The programme aimed to equip farmers with advanced banana cultivation technologies, catering to both domestic and export markets. The training covered topics such as automation, IoT-enabled disease detection, banana production and protection technologies, value-added products, and drone technology applications.

Dr R. Selvarajan, Director, ICAR-NRCB, highlighted the institution's global leadership in banana research. He stressed the need for the conservation of landraces and traditional bananas of the Malabar region of Kerala to the trainee farmers. Additionally, Dr Selvarajan emphasized the Centre’s focus on creating over 45 value-added products and advancing IoT-enabled and precision farming techniques. He also briefed the new hybrid Kaveri Kanchan, released by the centre; a plantain turned out to be a dessert type with the highest carotene content.

The programme also featured lectures by scientists from ICAR-NRCB on various relevant topics. The farmers visited the institute’s research farm, where they observed demonstrations on banana germplasm, clump management, sensor-based irrigation methods, banana weevil management, drone technology, and the Common Incubation Centre.

The participants also toured the export cluster at Thirukatupalli, Thanjavur, gaining insights into advanced banana cultivation techniques, banana leaf production processes, and technologies employed for banana export. Additionally, they visited a successful Farmers’ Producer Organization (FPO) to learn first-hand about the factors contributing to its success.

A total of 25 farmers attended the programme.

(Source: ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tamil Nadu)