We have been recognized as an institution for Core Support by the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India since 2002. The previous period of Core support had concluded in March 2013 and the new phase of Core support is for a period of five years 2013 – 2018. We carried out various activities during this year in Thiruvannamalai and Nagapattinam districts of Tamil Nadu.
WORK DONE UNDER THIS PROJECT
- In Thiruvannamalai district, a total of 81 tribal beneficiaries from seven villages of Jawadhu hills were selected and trained on agriculture-related livelihood technologies like vermicomposting, rearing of milch animals and mushroom cultivation. Following this, 15 individual vermicompost units and a community mushroom cultivation unit were established.
Organic Farming Technology – Light trap in paddy field
- Efforts are in progress to start up the work on field testing of non-chemical weed management techniques and millet seed production.
- In Nagapattinam district, 31 experiments have been conducted under laboratory condition on target pests Spodoptera litura and Aphis craccivora.
Pot experiment on Aphids in Bhendi crop
Experiment on brinjal at Nemmeli village
- A community neem oil soap production unit has been established in Ilaiyamadhukoodam village.
- Traditional paddy varieties have been conserved in 168.33 acres by 144 farmers in six villages of Vedharanyam taluk.
Traditional paddy field
- Detailed documentation on drought situation in Nagapattinam was done followed by a discussion meeting held in Collector’s Office in Nagapattinam in December 2013.
- A total of three technical training programmes on vermicomposting were conducted for the five women SHGs involved in the production at community level.
Community vermicompost unit at Allivilagam village of Nagapattinam
- Two staff capacity building trainings were organized at Gandhigram in Dindigul and Kuthambakkam panchayat in Kancheepuram.
- Under the component on institutional building, a one day orientation training on Producer Company formation was conducted at Allivilagam village.
Technical training program in progress