Training on horticultural in Nagaon

A day long awareness-cum-training programme on “Processing of Horticultural Produce” was organized by Krishi Vigyan Kendra(KVK), Nagaon at Kallol Club Bhawan, Nagaoan on the 15th December 2010 under the aegis of Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT), Guwahati Regional Centre under the Ministry of Food Processing, Govt. of India. The training was organized with the objective to impart knowledge and awareness on the importance of post harvest management of fruits and vegetables in the Nagaon district. The district is being blessed with varied environmental condition is favorable for growing almost all fruits and vegetables. However, due to lack of proper post harvest management practices, a considerable amount of the produce is at lost thereby incurring huge monetary loss. Fruits and vegetables occupy an important position in the food basket of the consumers. Minimizing loss can therefore be an effective means for increasing the availability of fruits and vegetables without bringing additional area under these crops.

On the occasion, an inaugural function was also organized where the District Agricultural officer Sankar Chakraborty addressed the gathering as Chief Guest and inaugurated the training programme. He stressed on the present post-harvest needs of horticultural crops in the district. Dr. B.Guha, Principal Scientist of the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Shillongani attended the meeting as Guest of Honour and addressed the participants with his valuable words. He focused on the need of post harvest management practices starting from the farm level till its reaches the consumer. Earlier, Dr.T.P.Saikia, Programme Coordinator of KVK, Nagaon heartily welcomed all the participants, sponsors; distinguish guests, press & media in his welcome address. Dr. R. Vidyalakshmi, Scientist from IICPT briefly explained the objectives of the programme. The meeting was anchored by Dhiren Nath and also attended by C.K.Deka, U.K.Deka, N.N. Kalita and Munmum Saha of KVK. A local NGO viz., Grammya Unnayan Santha(GUS) also rendered their help in selection of the participants for the programme. The inaugural meeting ended with vote of thanks offered by Mukut Deka of GUS.

In the technical session, Dr. S.Gogoi, Principal Scientist of Horticultural Research Station, Kahikuchi, T.P.Saikia, Programme Coordinator of KVK, Pandya Raja of Indian Food Safety & Standard Authority of India, Jyotsna Goswami, an eminent woman entrepreneur and Sibani Das, SMS of KVK elaborated the subject matters on “Pre-harvest management practices of horticultural crops, “Post harvest Technology of Horticultural Produce”, “Food safety and standards”, and “Value addition, bye-product utilization & marketing” and “Packaging & Storage techniques”, respectively through participatory lecture. More than 50 numbers of rural youth and farm women from various corners of the Nagaon district participated and were benefited through the programme.