ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute

22/09/2026

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝗗𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗶 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗥- 𝗦𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲, 𝗖𝗼𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲!

The ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), Coimbatore, organized a two-day Training programme on “Improved Sugarcane Technologies for Tribal Farmers (𝗧𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗧)” for sugarcane growers from the tribal settlements of Sittilingi valley, a region nestled between the Kalvarayan and Sitheri hills, in Dharmapuri district of western Tamil Nadu. Held on 17–18 September 2026 at the institute premises, the programme was implemented under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribe Component (𝗗𝗔𝗣𝗦𝗧𝗖) project.

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗲
As part of the DAPSTC project, a team from ICAR-SBI visited the Sittilingi valley of Dharmapuri district in April 2026, where Malayali tribal communities cultivate sugarcane and supply to the Subramaniya Siva Co-operative Sugar Mills, Harur. Based on field interactions and constraints reported by farmers, the institute proposed a structured training programme in two phases—17–18 𝙖𝙣𝙙 29–30 𝙎𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 2026—to enhance productivity and address location-specific challenges.
𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙪𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖
Addressing the inaugural session, Dr P. Govindaraj, Director, ICAR-SBI, highlighted the mounting challenges facing the sugarcane sector in Tamil Nadu compared with other states. He noted that the area under sugarcane in Dharmapuri district has declined sharply from over 7,000 hectares in 2011 to about 2674 hectares in 2024-25. Emphasising the need to adopt new, high-yielding varieties, he urged farmers to follow scientific practices to manage emerging pests and diseases, thereby making sugarcane cultivation more profitable.”
𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀
Dr D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer of the DAPSTC project, explained that tribal participation in sugarcane farming remains limited in the state . The training modules were designed to address key constraints in Dharmapuri, including drought management, white grub control, and the promotion of appropriate mechanisation in sugarcane cultivation.
Shri P. Kandasamy, Chief Cane Officer, Subramaniya Siva Co-operative Sugar Mills Ltd., thanked the Institute for organizing this programme and outlined the support measures extended by the mill to registered cane growers, including input supply, extension services, and procurement arrangements.
𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
In addition to the lectures and farmer–scientist interactions, participants were taken to sugarcane research fields to observe improved varieties and crop management practices. They were also shown sugarcane machinery, the sugarcane-based integrated farming system demonstration unit, and a live demonstration of a sett-treatment device.
During the occasion, seed material of the newly released high-yielding mid-late variety, 𝐂𝐨 21003, was handed over to Subramaniya Siva Co-operative Sugar Mills for multiplication and distribution among growers. Dr R. Gopi, Senior Scientist, ICAR-SBI proposed the vote of thanks.

30/08/2026

𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐲 (𝐂𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐀) ; Featured in 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚 daily, 28.08.2026.
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24/08/2026

News on 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐲 (𝐂𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐀) ; Dinamani daily, 20.08.2026

கோவை கரும்பு இனப்பெருக்கு நிறுவனத்தின் சாா்பில் அட்டப்பாடி பழங்குடியின பெண்களின் மேம்பாட்டுக்கான பயிற்சி ம.....

26/06/2026

𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐑-𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐬
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In a significant initiative aimed at improving the nutrition, health and livelihood opportunities of tribal communities, the ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), Coimbatore, in association with ICAR–Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Palakkad, organized a comprehensive awareness campaign at Melachootra hamlet in the Attappady hills of Kerala on 22.06.26. The programme was conducted under the Institute’s Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribe Component (DAPSTC) project.

The campaign brought together more than 150 tribal residents and focused on addressing critical issues such as malnutrition, anaemia, nutrition security, health awareness and entrepreneurship development through agriculture-based interventions.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer of the DAPSTC project, highlighted the high prevalence of anaemia among tribal populations in Attappady. He pointed out that over 70 per cent of adolescent girls in the region are affected by anaemia, largely due to poor nutritional intake. To address this challenge, he said ICAR-SBI has been promoting practical interventions such as the distribution of vegetable seed kits for kitchen gardens, millet seeds and institute-produced liquid jaggery to improve household nutrition. He also noted the encouraging performance of the new sugarcane variety Co 14012, demonstrated through a ‘ꜰʀᴏɴᴛʟɪɴᴇ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴꜱᴛʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ’ plot in Melachootra hamlet. He expressed confidence that the proposed establishment of a small-scale jaggery production unit by ICAR-KVK, Palakkad, would create new livelihood opportunities and motivate more tribal farmers to take up sugarcane cultivation.

Shri M. Govindaraj, Assistant Director of Agriculture, Agali, informed farmers about the Kerala Government’s “Area Expansion of Sugarcane” scheme, which offers financial assistance of up to ₹20,000 per hectare for farmers adopting sugarcane cultivation. He urged tribal farmers to make use of the scheme to enhance farm income and strengthen local sugarcane production.

Dr. M. Israel Thomas, Head of ICAR-KVK (KAU), Palakkad, outlined the continued collaborative efforts being undertaken by the KVK, ICAR-SBI and the State Department of Agriculture to promote sugarcane cultivation and value-added enterprises in the region. The technical sessions featured expert presentations on agriculture, health and entrepreneurship.
Shri Pushparaj Angelo of ICAR-KVK, Ernakulam, shared his experiences in the production and successful marketing of Alangadan jaggery, highlighting its potential as a rural enterprise.

Dr. Jiji Allen, Subject Matter Specialist at ICAR-KVK, Palakkad, trained participants on establishing and managing household nutrition gardens using the vegetable seed kits distributed during the programme.
Dr. P. S. Lakshmy , Subject Matter Specialist , ICAR-KVK, Palakkad provided practical health and hygiene guidance to tribal women and explained the proper use of first-aid kits supplied to the tribals during the campaign.
Dr. P. Geetha of ICAR-SBI conducted a session on balanced fertilizer use and sustainable crop nutrition management. A demonstration on seed treatment of Ragi seeds with liquid bio-fertilizers viz., Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria was also carried out as part of 𝙆𝙝𝙚𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙤 𝙖𝙗𝙝𝙞𝙮𝙖𝙣.

Representatives of the tribal community, Shri Marudhan and Shri Raju, expressed their gratitude for conducting the awareness campaign on topics directly relevant to their well-being. They also appreciated the distribution of useful inputs and equipment, including farm tools, house-hold items, liquid jaggery, radio sets, first-aid kits and quality seed materials.

Earlier, Dr. R. Gopi, Senior Scientist, ICAR-SBI, welcomed the participants, while Shri R. T. Maruthi, Senior Scientist and In-charge of ICAR-SBI Research Centre, Agali, proposed the vote of thanks.
A highlight of the programme was a community pledge taken by more than 150 tribal participants against malnutrition, reaffirming their commitment to improving the nutritional status and overall well-being of women and children in their villages.

#खेत_बचाओ_अभियान All India Radio News

27/05/2026

𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗥-𝗦𝗕𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹 𝗡𝗮𝗱𝘂
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ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), in collaboration with Bannari Amman Sugars Limited, organized an awareness campaign on “𝘈𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦-𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘕𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵” for sugarcane farmers on May 20, 2026, at Alathukombai in Erode district of Tamil Nadu. The programme was conducted under the Institute’s “Mera Gaon, Mera Gaurav” (MGMG – My Village, My Pride) initiative.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist & Team Leader of MGMG, ICAR-SBI, outlined the objectives of the campaign and noted that Tamil Nadu ranks 13th among Indian states in fertilizer consumption, while Erode district stands fifth among the fertilizer-consuming districts in the State. He highlighted Tamil Nadu’s leadership in the use of bio-fertilizers and urged farmers to try alternative nutrient sources such as bio-fertilizers, vermicompost and farmyard manure to improve nutrient-use efficiency and enhance soil health.
Delivering a technical session, Dr. S. Anusha, Scientist, ICAR-SBI explained that imbalanced application of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) fertilizers adversely affects soil health and reduces sugarcane productivity. A live demonstration on the preparation of “𝘑𝘦𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘮𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘮,” a traditional organic bio-fertilizer and microbial growth enhancer prepared using cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, soil and water, was also conducted during the programme.
Shri K. P. Kuppusamy , Deputy General Manager, Bannari amman sugars ltd., highlighted the benefits of utilizing “Potassium Derived from Molasses (PDM),” a sugar industry by-product containing about 14.5 per cent potash, as a sustainable and indigenous alternative nutrient source.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri A. Sivakumar , Additional Manager, Madras Fertilisers Ltd., said that farmers have access to a wide range of bio-fertilizers, including nitrogen fixers and phosphate solubilizers, as well as organic nutrient sources such as Phosphate Rich Organic Manure (PROM) and Fermented Organic Manure (FOM).
A social media advisory on “𝙐𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙄𝙣𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙪𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜,” prepared by ICAR-SBI, was released by Shri S. Shanmugasundaram, Vice – President, Bannari amman sugars and was received by Smt. Lingeshwari, a progressive sugarcane farmer. This advisory was transmitted through 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑠𝐴𝑝𝑝, to over 14000 sugarcane farmers of the state.
During the farmer-scientist interaction session, scientists and experts addressed farmers’ queries related to sugarcane cultivation, harvesting practices and the availability of bio-inputs at subsidized rates.
A quiz competition on the judicious use of fertilizers was also conducted, and winners were presented with natural inputs and green manure seeds sponsored by Bannari Amman Sugars, Madras Fertilizers ltd and ICAR-SBI. Towards the end, Dr S.Mohan, Asst. General Manager, Bannari amman sugars ltd., proposed the vote of thanks.
An exhibition showcasing natural inputs suitable for sugarcane cultivation was organized at the venue. More than 85 farmers and input dealers participated in the campaign. Team 10 of MGMG, including Dr. D.P.Prathap, Dr. A.Jeevalatha, Dr T. Lakshmipathy & Dr T.Ramasubramanian, of ICAR-SBI, had organized the campaign.
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Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare, Government of India #खेत_बचाओ_अभियान Indian Council of Agricultural Research Press Information Bureau - PIB, Government of India

17/05/2026

𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑹-𝑺𝑩𝑰 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝑻𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒂𝒍 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑪𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒊 𝑻𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆
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ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, in collaboration with Anamalai Tiger Reserve, organized a ‘''𝘛𝘙𝘐𝘉𝘈𝘓 𝘏𝘌𝘈𝘓𝘛𝘏 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘕𝘜𝘛𝘙𝘐𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕 𝘈𝑾𝘈𝘙𝘌𝘕𝘌𝘚𝘚 𝘊𝘈𝘔𝘗𝘈𝘐𝘎𝘕' for the tribal communities of Karattupathy and Thippippaarai settlements in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu on May 12, 2026, under its 𝑫𝑨𝑷𝑺𝑻𝑪 (Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribe Component) project.

Presiding over the programme, Dr D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist & Nodal Officer of DAPSTC, stated that the Institute has been implementing need-based interventions for the holistic development of tribal communities in Coimbatore, Erode, Salem and Tiruppur districts of Tamil Nadu, and Palakkad district of Kerala since 2021. He informed that more than 1,500 households belonging to eight tribal communities, namely 𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑎𝑟, '𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑎𝑟', 𝑂𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖, 𝐾𝑢𝑟𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑎𝑟, 𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑎𝑙𝑖, 𝐼𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟, 𝑀𝑢𝑑ℎ𝑢𝑣𝑎𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟, have benefitted from the initiative so far.

Highlighting ‘anaemia, malnutrition and sickle-cell anaemia’ as the three major health concerns among tribal populations, Dr Prathap noted that ICAR-SBI has been distributing kitchen garden vegetable seeds, liquid jaggery and millet seeds as locally adaptable interventions to improve household nutrition. The present awareness campaign, he added, was organized based on a recent needs assessment conducted by the Institute in the two tribal settlements.
It was also informed during the campaign that 𝚂𝙴𝙷𝙰𝚃— “Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation” — a joint national mission by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has recently been launched to enhance convergence between agricultural sciences and health research, tackling emerging challenges like malnutrition and nutrition insecurity, the outcome of which, could be beneficial to the tribal population of the country.

Delivering the felicitation address, Shri V. Pugazhenthi , Range Officer, Amaravathinagar, appreciated the sustained efforts of ICAR-SBI towards tribal welfare since the inception of the project in 2021 in six settlements of the Pollachi division under Anamalai Tiger Reserve. He particularly commended the Institute for conducting regular follow-up programmes in the settlements.

Tribal representatives, Shri Karuppusamy of Karattupathy settlement and Smt. Vellaiyammal of Thippippaarai settlement expressed that the campaign had enhanced community awareness on women and child health issues. They also acknowledged the support extended through distribution of several useful items such as smokeless stoves, farm tools, institute-produced liquid jaggery and tarpaulins.
Dr Hari Eshwar, MD (General Medicine) , PSG Hospitals, Coimbatore, conducted an interactive session on preventive healthcare and nutrition. He explained the symptoms and treatment of common ailments affecting tribal communities. On listening to the dietary habits of the tribal folk, he emphasized the role of balanced nutrition in improving health outcomes.
Dr Saraswathy Eswaran, Former Professor at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, trained the participants in preparing nutritious millet-based recipes and encouraged tribal women to undertake value addition and marketing of millet products through Self-Help Groups. Dr R. Gopi , Senior Scientist, ICAR- SBI, conducted a detailed technical session on mushroom cultivation.

Over 200 tribal men and women from the participating hamlets pledged to fight malnutrition and renewed their commitment to improving the nutrition of pregnant and lactating women in their communities.
ICAR-SBI officials, including Dr T Arumuganathan, Shri R. Raja, Shri. V V Galagali, Shri Malakappa B. Medegar & Shri R. Sekar , several forest department officials and media- persons participated in the campaign.

Earlier, Shri Senthil Murugan, Forester, ATR, welcomed the gathering, while Dr K. Mohanraj, Principal Scientist, ICAR-SBI proposed the vote of thanks.

10/05/2026

𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐑-𝐒𝐁𝐈-𝐃𝐀𝐏𝐒𝐓𝐂: 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 : 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗶 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
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The ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore joined hands with the Tiruppur division of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) to conduct a ‘Tribal Training Campaign’ for the tribals residing in the remote hamlets of Poochakottamparai and Karumutti on 7 May 2026, as part of its 𝐃𝐀𝐏𝐒𝐓𝐂 (Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribe Component) project.

During the campaign, over 120 tribal men and women of these hamlets took a pledge against malnutrition reaffirming their commitment to improving the nutritional status of pregnant & lactating mothers in their hamlets through the regular inclusion of green leafy vegetables, pulses, eggs, milk, and millets in their daily diet.
Presiding over the campaign, Dr P Govindaraj, Director of ICAR-SBI, stated that more than 40 departments of Government of India are implementing DAPSTC for taking up tribal development projects relating to agriculture, education, health, irrigation, , employment generation, skill development, etc. He noted that ICAR-SBI initiated the DAPSTC project in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve during 2021 with the objective of promoting need-based and holistic tribal development interventions. He also emphasized the importance of avoiding child marriages and encouraged effective utilization of common assets created under the project, including power tillers, for improving agricultural productivity.

Administering the pledge against malnutrition, Dr. D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer, DAPSTC, stated that the consumption of vegetables among tribal communities was found to be below the recommended dietary levels. In response, ICAR-SBI has been distributing kitchen garden vegetable seeds and millet seeds as a locally adaptable strategy to address malnutrition among tribal households. Referring to the successful implementation of DAPSTC in the ‘Mavanatham’ tribal hamlet of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, where Institute-supplied vegetable and millet seeds were effectively utilized and ‘pulverizers’ were adopted for primary processing and value addition, he encouraged the ‘𝘔𝘶𝘥𝘩𝘶𝘷𝘢𝘳’ tribal communities of the region, who possess strong traditional farming knowledge and skills, to explore opportunities in millet-based entrepreneurship.
Tribal leaders Shri. Dharmaraj and Shri. Ganesan expressed satisfaction over the initiative’s focus on knowledge enhancement, besides distribution of inputs.
Training sessions on ginger & mushroom farming and scientific millet cultivation were conducted by Dr R Gopi & Dr P. Geetha, Senior Scientists of ICAR-SBI, while Dr. M.Prabhu from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University spoke on establishing nutrition gardens . As part of the campaign, the tribal farmers received power tillers, farm tools, household items, extension literature, kitchen garden kits, pearl millet and green manure seeds, and areca seedlings, among others. ICAR-SBI officials including Dr T Arumuganathan, Shri R. Raja, Shri V V Galagali, Shri R. Sekar , Shri Govindarajan, several forest department officials and mediapersons participated in the campaign.
Earlier, Shri. Marimuthu, Forester , ATR, welcomed the gathering and Dr K.Mohanraj, Principal Scientist, ICAR-SBI proposed a formal vote of thanks.

17/04/2026

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙬𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙍-𝙎𝙪𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙣 '𝙁𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠' 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩!

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Volume 47 ; Issue (4) : https://online.fliphtml5.com/ycweaz/jhwb/

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21/03/2026

Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary, DARE & Director General, ICAR, Visits ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI), Regional Centre, Karnal.

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare, Government of India Shivraj Singh Chouhan Press Information Bureau - PIB, Government of India Bhagirath Choudhary

05/03/2026

ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute's Launch of DAPSTC project in Tiruppur district and Tribal Training Campaign , at Chinnar.