From a host of everyday food products given a healthy twist with millets, natural dyes, newly developed machinery and pest control measures, a number of stalls put up by different departments of the Agricultural College and Research Institute and Home Science College and Research Institute showcased such innovations as part of the ‘Vivasaya Tiruvizha 2015’ expo.
Speaking about the Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative(SSI) being developed at the AC & RI, A Gurusamy, Professor, Department of Agronomy said that single budded sugarcane sets removed from sugarcane are placed in trays with coir piths.
“These single budded chips when planted in the fields not only give at least 50 per cent more yield than the conventional method, but require less water as well,” he said. While the technology has been adopted by farmers in Madurai and Sivaganga, the faculty at the SSI stall said that it had generated a good response.
The Home Science department had showcased cookies, noodles, macaroni and a range of other snacks made of traditional millets for which the recipes were being developed by them.
“We have also formulated ready-to-eat instant sambar, Pongal and upma mixes which are made of vegetables and millets and simply need to be boiled with water,” said G. Hemalatha, Professor in the Food Science and Nutrition Department. “Regular training classes are conducted by the department for farmers who want to apply such value addition to the millets they cultivate as well, by the department,” she added.
Similarly, bags and other handicrafts dyed with natural dyes extracted from Badam leaves were on display by the Apparel Design and Fashion Technology department.
“Farmers, women’s groups and budding entrepreneurs are given training on how to manufacture these natural dyes as well,” said T. Padmini, head of the department.
