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Workshop on Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources in Arunachal Pradesh

Date Posted: 15-06-2019

A two-day workshop on Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources in Arunachal Pradesh was organised by by ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR), New Delhi and Department of Agriculture, Government of Arunachal Pradesh on 11-12 June, 2019 at the Directorate of Agriculture, Naharlagun. Over 100 participants, including officials of state department of agriculture, horticulture, State Forest Research Institute, GBPIHS&D, BSI, APHRDI, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and custodian farmers, from 11 districts of Arunachal Pradesh (Kurung Kumey, Upper Subansiri, Lower Subansiri, West Siang, Upper Siang, Anjaw, Anini, Tirap, East Kameng, Tawang and Papumpare) had attended this workshop. The objective of this workshop was to have an exchange of information and strengthening linkage with different stakeholders to facilitate germplasm augmentation for ex situ conservation, documentation of plant genetic resources (PGR) wealth from these insufficiently-explored areas, generate database on custodian farmers, and exploring feasibility of on-farm management of crop diversity and community seed bank.
A total of over 100 participants, including officials from the State Department of Agriculture (SAUs), State Horticulture Department, State Forest Department, NERIST, GBPIHS&D, BSI, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and custodian farmers from 12 districts of Arunachal Pradesh participated in this deliberation. The workshop was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Sh K Darang, Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government. At the outset, the workshop commenced with a welcome address by Dr. SP Ahlawat, Head, Division of Plant Exploration and Germplasm Collection, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi. He briefly highlighted the importance of this workshop and need for developing enhanced partnership and a roadmap for focusing on conservation of plant genetic resources (PGR) in Arunachal Pradesh. The context of this workshop was set by Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Director, ICAR-NBPGR through his remarks on the conservation of agro-biodiversity for posterity. He said that India being a agri-biodiversity rich nation with amazing diversity in crop landraces in the north-eastern part in general and Arunachal Pradesh in particular to meet with the ever demanding nutritional security which is a major concern in the present regime of climate change. Dr. AK Tripathi, Director, ATARI (Zone VI), Guwahati spoke on role of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in transforming the vision of the ICAR-NBPGR for Arunachal Pradesh into a reality in the near future. Sh. Anong Lago, Director, Department of Agriculture, Arunachal Pradesh has emphasized the need of identification and conservation of unexplored PGRs of Arunachal Pradesh. He has emphasized on the need to conserve the plant genetic resources (PGR) for posterity and nutritional security, and warned the ever-increasing threats faced by the local crops/landraces. Sh. Jummar Rime, Director, Department of Horticulture, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh has highlighted the need for improving and documenting unidentified horticultural species in the state.
In two-day workshop consisting of two technical sessions and a plenary session, presentations were made by Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Director, ICAR-NBPGR and other resource persons namely Dr. JC Rana, Dr. LR Bhuyan, Dr. L. Wangchu, Dr. SP Ahlawat, dr. KC Bhatt and Dr. Anjula pandey on the topics such as management of plant genetic resources in ex situ and community seed system medicinal, aromatic, RET species, prospects of horticuture in Ar Pr, status of PGR in Arunachal Pradesh PGR wealth in each district, followed by interaction session with the participants, which has resulted into development of a roadmap for executing explorations in in-sufficiently explored areas of the state for ex-situ conservation of assembled germplasm through developing a strong partnership and networking of stakeholders. All have agreed that organization of such type of event by NBPGR was very appropriate. The workshop was concluded with the distribution of certificate. The workshop was ended with the vote of thanks by Dr. KC Bhatt, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi. Besides above, Drs. Anjula Pandey, RS Rathi and GD Harish, Mahesh Meena, Sh. OP Dhariwal had attended this workshop, from the Bureau.

(Source:  Dr. Kailash Chandra Bhatt, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi)