Current Programmes
2.
Biotechnology Application Programmes for Rural Empowerment
Promotion of Cultivation & Value Addition through
Post Harvest Processing of Bioresources in Shivalik belt
This pioneering project for promoting cultivation
& value addition of medicinal & aromatic plants was taken up by the
Council with the support of Deptt. of Biotechnology, Govt. of
India. The project has been completed in the financial year
2006-07. The major achievements under the project are as under:-
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The women and farmer
groups were mobilized through 38 training programmes on cultivation
of medicinal & aromatic plants, harvesting of existing bio-resources
and their processing.
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The
mother stock for medicinal and aromatic crops was procured and
propagated under the project through farmers. The demonstrations on
cultivation and processing aspects of MAPs including Amla, Lemon
Grass, Vetiver, Tulsi, Kaunch, and Ashwagandha were arranged at
farmers’ fields. A total of about 100 ha area was brought under
cultivation of MAPs mainly amla and lemon grass involving 175
farmers. The farmers were also demonstrated intercropping of
lemongrass with amla.
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A
group of enthusiastic farmers from Shivalik Belt were selected and
taken to Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plant (CIMAP),
Lucknow, for their exposure to the MAPs cultivation programme as
well as their first hand interaction with farmers already into
cultivation of these crops in and around Lucknow. The farmers also
got an opportunity to have one to one interaction with local
progressive farmers engaged in cultivation of MAPs.
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The
post harvest processing facility for value addition of locally
available/cultivated bioresources including medicinal, aromatic and
horticultural crops has been developed at Talwara as per FPO
guidelines. A total of about 120 MT amla was processed to various
finished amla based food products viz. amla preserve, amla ladoo,
amla burfi, amla juice, amla chutney, squash, pickle, ready-to-serve
beverage and jam. The marketing tie ups for these amla products
were arranged by PSCST through Unnati Cooperative
Marketing-cum-processing Society Ltd.
Further, an aromatic oil
extraction unit was set up at farmers’ land (leased out to the
Council) under the project which is being operated & managed by a
Self Help Group in village Dhadian Katwal, Talwara Block. These
activities had a replicative effect and other farmers are coming
forward to set up their extraction units. One such unit has already
been set up by the farmers at village Seprian, Block Hajipur, Tehsil
Mukerian. The aromatic oil extracted by the farmers is being
marketed by Unnati Cooperative Marketing-cum-processing Society Ltd.
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As amla is one of
the major natural bioresource of the region selected under the
project (lower Shivaliks), 62.7 MT of wild amla and 55.4 MT of
varietal amla was got harvested and sorted by mobilizing the local
farmers. (through direct involvement of 43 farmer representatives
who brought the collective produce to project site. Some of these
further involved additional workforce i.e. unemployed youth/rural
women for harvesting and sorting of wild amla). About, 37 women and
18 men were directly involved in processing of amla for production
of various amla based food products. These activities generated a
total cash outflow of Rs. 8.66 lacs to the rural unemployed youth
and women involved in harvesting, sorting, pricking and
processing works and generated job opportunity of about 8660 man
days @ Rs. 100 per man day.
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In order to ensure
self-sustainance of the project after completion of project tenure,
as per approval of Executive Committee, an agreement has been signed
with Unnati Cooperative Marketing-cum-Processing Society Limited for
operationalization of the processing unit.
Production and Promotion of Neem based biopesticide as environment
friendly biodegradable alternative to chemical pesticides.
Neem (Azadirachta
indica) is an evergreen tree native to the Indian sub-continent
and can grow in almost all types of soil and agro-climatic
conditions. The neem tree contains a chemical called azadirachtin
which is proven antiseptic, antiviral, antipyretic,
anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer and anti-fugal whose potential can
be exploited in medicines, cosmetics and agriculture. Most
importantly, neem is a potent insecticide effective against more
than 400 species of insects including all key insect pests of
agriculture and is known to protect wide range of crops including
paddy, cotton, maize, vegetables etc against pests by reducing their
feeding tendency and reproductive capacity.
To harness this potential of neem, the
Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India has initiated a
national programme titled “Production
and Promotion of Neem based biopesticide as environment friendly
biodegradable alternative to chemical pesticides” with the financial
assistance of United nations Development (UNDP) / United Nations
Industrial development Organization (UNIDO). The objective of this
programme is to promote production, processing and use of neem
biopesticide, thereby aiding waste land development, generating
rural employment especially for women and providing farmers with
eco-friendly / biodegradable pesticides.
This project was initially implemented
at two locations viz. Nimpith, West Bengal through Vivekanand
Institute of Biotechnology and Nagpur, Maharashtra through Neem
Foundation which yielded encouraging results. Based on this, Phase
II of the project was initiated by the Ministry in October 2006
with the involvement of 10 institutions/organizations including
PSCST though it was formally launched by Union Minister of Chemical
& Fertilizers on 21.2.2007. The objective of the project is
promotion of simple technology for neem biopesticide production
standardized under Phase – I of the project, establishment of neem
seed processing units at different locations, field trials as well
as generation of toxicology and shelf life stability data of the
Neem biopesticide formulation for commercialization, through
involvement of Indian Toxicology Research Institute and Institute of
Pesticide Formulation Technology. The preliminary data
provided by State Department of Forests indicates that about 12
lakh neem trees exist in the state. The Council in collaboration
with District Forest Agency has organized capacity building
programmes for farmers in district Bathinda which has more than 4
lakh neem trees outside forest area.
Contact Persons:
Dr. J.K. Arora,
jkarora@pscst.com
Dr. Dapinder K. Bakshi,
dkbakshi@pscst.com
Solid Waste Management through Vermiculture Biotechnology
The Council has made pioneering efforts for promotion of solid waste
management through vermiculture biotechnology in the state of
Punjab. The Council started technology dissemination work in 1994.
Since then, hundreds of training programmes have been organized by
the Council. As a result, the technology has gained momentum.
Recently, a database on the existing units in Punjab has been
compiled by the Council with the help of State Department of
Agriculture, district administrations, NGOs and educational
institutions. A number of large scale units are also operative in
the state that are marketing vermicompost not only within Punjab but
in the neighbouring states also.
The Council continues
to provide technical guidance on the technology to various
organizations. This year, besides conducting a district level
workshop in collaboration with District Administration, Sangrur,
about 500 Secretaries & Inspectors of Primary Agricultural
Cooperative Societies operative at village level in various
districts of the state were trained through interactive sessions in
10 programmes organized by Punjab Institute of Cooperative Training.
Contact
Persons:
Dr. J.K. Arora,
jkarora@pscst.com
Genetic Literacy
Programme
The findings of a project implemented
by the Council with the support of Department of Science &
Technology, Govt. of India had revealed some hard hitting facts
pertaining to existing level of genetic literacy in rural areas. To
mention a few, only 17% population covered under the survey was
aware that the father (Y chromosome) is responsible for determining
sex of the child; only 11% were aware that consanguinity (marriages
among blood relatives) contribute to genetic problems. Further, the
impact assessment study revealed that as a result of the awareness
campaigns launched by the Council, there was a significant positive
shift in the understanding of these aspects and the above
percentages rose to 90% & 95% respectively. Therefore, the Council
continues to impart information on fundamentals of genetic literacy
with special emphasis on genetic disorders. In the year 2006-07,
this information was disseminated through 20 interactive sessions
for varied target groups in the training courses / seminars on
Biotechnology, Technology & Skill Development etc. organized by
MGSIPA; National Institute of Technical Teachers Training Institute;
PICT; DAV College, Chandigarh and GGDSD College, Chandigarh.
Contact
Persons:
Dr. J.K. Arora,
jkarora@pscst.com
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