‘Smart clusters’ for tuber crops on the anvil in four districts

The ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), in collaboration with NGO Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA), will develop four ‘smart clusters’ for tuber crops in the State.

Under this programme, cassava will be grown in Thiruvananthapuram district, elephant foot yam and yams in Kollam, sweet potato in Alappuzha district and arrowroot and minor tubers in Pathanamthitta district. The initiative will be undertaken under the leadership of one farmer producer company (FPC) each in the four districts, according to the CTCRI.

Detailed project reports and technological support will be provided by the CTCRI, the institute’s director G. Byju said. Complete value chain will be established in those districts involving the FPCs. The action plan is based on a memorandum of understanding inked by the CTCRI and CISSA for strengthening 36 FPCs in the four southern districts under an initiative that places special emphasis on tuber crops.

Capacity building training in soil testing using the Pusa Soil Testing and Fertiliser Recommendation (STFR) meter, establishment of tuber crop nurseries and seed villages, production of different bioinputs and biocontrol agents as well as value addition of tuber crops also will be organised for the FPCs at the CTCRI as at the district level under the agreement.

A planning workshop held at the CTCRI this week chalked out a long-term action plan for equipping the 36 selected FPCs to strengthen the tuber crop value chain in the four districts. The 36 FPCs are promoted by the CISSA. As part of the MoU, the CTCRI will equip the FPCs with skills in value chain development, processing, packaging, branding, and marketing in the context of tuber crops.