CTCRI and NGO, CISSA collaborate to establish four tuber crops smart clusters
A ‘planning workshop on understanding the specific needs and action plan development for farmer producer companies (FPCs) under Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA)’ was organised by ICAR-CTCRI and chalked out a long-term action plan for handholding thirty six FPCs in strengthening tuber crops value chain in four southern districts of Kerala.
It has been decided to develop four smart clusters of tuber crops, cassava in Thiruvananthapuram district, elephant foot yam and yams in Kollam district, sweet potato in Alappuzha district and arrowroot and minor tubers in Pathanamthitta district under the leadership of one selected FPC in each district. Detailed project reports and technological backstopping will be provided by CTCRI, said G. Byju, director. Complete value chain will be established in those districts involving the FPCs.
Capacity building trainings on soil testing using Pusa Soil Testing and Fertilizer Recommendation (STFR) meter, establishment of portray nurseries of tuber crops and seed villages, production of different bioinputs and biocontrol agents as well as value addition of tuber crops will also be organized for different FPCs at the Institute as well as at district levels. The action plan is based on a MoU that CTCRI and CISSA signed on 15 May 2025. Forty members of different FPCs participated in the planning workshop. Dr. C. Sureshkumar, General Secretary, CISSA and Dr. C.S. Ravindran, Vice President, CISSA attended besides Dr. P.Sethuraman Sivakumar, principal scientist in charge of CTCRI ABI, Dr. T. Krishnakumar and Dr. P. Prakash, scientists.
