Horticultural scientists from 17 countries, including Israel, will congregate in Bengaluru from Monday till Friday to chart a road map for the development of country’s horticultural sector in tune with global scenario, on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR).
While the golden jubilee celebrations of the country’s premier horticultural research body — based at Hessarghatta in Bengaluru — will be held on Monday, a four-day international technical symposium on the road map for the next 50 years will begin on Tuesday with the theme ‘Priorities and emerging trends’.
According to the IIHR’s principal scientist and general secretary of the symposium, C. Ashwath, the symposium would look at various aspects, including the emerging global trends, methods of handling climate change, tackling post-harvest losses, and making value addition.
As the thrust would be on increasing farmers’ income in a sustainable manner, the scientists would also deliberate on global horticultural trade, exports, marketing issues, and skill development.
The symposium would come out with a detailed list of recommendations to the ministries concerned on issues related to horticultural development, he said. About 500 scientists, including 28 from different countries, would take part in the symposium.
IIHR director M.R. Dinesh said the golden jubilee celebrations would be inaugurated by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh. Policymakers and heads of all the horticultural bodies in the country would participate in the symposium.
Benefit to society by IIHR research estimated at ₹70,000 cr.
The work done by IIHR has provided direct benefits to the tune of ₹70,000 crore to the country’s horticultural sector in the last 50 years, according to a cost-benefit study.
Dr. Dinesh said the study had taken into consideration only the tangible economic benefits because of research work by the institute, including new crop varieties and technologies.
The IIHR, which was originally set up in New Delhi on September 5, 1967 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research at its headquarters, was shifted to Hessarghatta, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, on February 1, 1968.
The institute with a research campus of 263 hectares also has regional experiment stations at Chettalli in Kodagu and Bhubaneswar in Odisha.
The institute, which has about 150 scientists, has so far released 129 improved vegetable varieties, 90 ornamental flower varieties, 24 fruit varieties, apart from various technologies, Dr. Dinesh said.
