The Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB) imparted a three-day training programme to the Krishi Vigyan Kendra scientists to popularise trees outside the forest.
The main objective of the training was to popularise and scale up the concept of trees outside forests and for wider dissemination of forestry research and technologies to the farmers.
The training was sponsored by Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) under the umbrella scheme of forestry training and capacity building- training of in-service personnel.
A release from IFGTB said that National Mission for Green India was announced by Government of India as one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It recognises that climate change phenomenon will seriously affect and alter the distribution, type and quality of natural biological resources of the country. The Green India Mission therefore prioritised “greening” in the context of climate adaptation and mitigation, aiming to enhance ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and storage (in forests and other ecosystems), hydrological services and biodiversity; along with provisioning services like fuel, fodder, timber and NTFPs.
One of the key mission targets has been improvement in forest and tree cover by three million hectares, on marginal agricultural lands/fallows and other non-forest lands under agro forestry /social forestry. The Mission had envisaged supporting a massive programme of forestry on non-forest lands with participation of the community, farmers, NGOs, private sector, institutions, government agencies and the Forest Department.
An exclusive one day field trip to Tamil Nadu Newsprint & Papers Limited, Karur, and farmer field was also organised as part of training to learn significant impact of industrial agro-forestry in increasing farm income.
KVK scientists were given inputs on mass production of clones and nursery management. They also had hands on experience in clonal propagation and propagation techniques. They also visited a farmer’s field at Chinnamaruthur village in Nammakal district wherein the comparative growth of clones of IFGTB viz., CH5 and CJ9 of Casuarina.
H. Philip, Director Extension Education, who graced the valedictory session of the training, requested all the scientists to take efforts for transfer of technologies in form of On Farm Trials and Field Level Demonstrations for greater outreach to the farmers. He also emphasised that all the scientist, who have undergo the training, to prepare annual work plan for incorporation in the KVK plan.
Mohit Gera, Director IFGTB, emphasised on the need for institutional linkages to enable transfer of technologies to the farmers.
