At present when the association between forests and humans are on a declining trend and the present generation does not have an idea about the variety of Indigenous crops and tubers, Agriculture World, The Krishi Jagran Publication releases April Issue exclusively on Roots and Tubers and the Saviours of Tuber Genome Diversity.
Tubers play a significant role in food security, nutrition and climate change adaptation. This would also help in improving economic growth of the nation and also would enhance environmental sustainability. Tuber crops a plays a role of food security. The challenge of making it a profitable crop for the future still lies ahead. Value added products need to be developed to increase the value of the tubers and provide the farmers a sustainable income.
The Editor of Agriculture World Dr Lakshmi Unnithan travelled to Mysuru and was an invited speaker for the Roots and Tuber Mela at Mysuru. She met the Mr Shaji.N.M from Wayanad who has been engaged in the protection of tuber varieties from a very long time. He has been in the forefront in collecting many indigenous varieties from the tribes collecting information and also savouring them for the future. Special mention has been made about Purple yams that are an excellent source of antioxidants and anthocyanins. Among the Exhibits was a 98 kg Tuber cultivated by farmer Pandurang Ram Gwada from Joida reports Dr Lakshmi Unnithan.
Tubers play an important role for the Kunbi communities during lean period writes Balachandra Hegde. Kunbis live in Joida, a taluk in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. The article goes on to explain how the writer and his friend explores possibilities of marketing these tubers to add income for the communities. Deepak Mangesh in his article titled Tribals and Tubers explains about the benefits of roots and tubers and the belief that they have the potential to be the game-changer in our diets to address the issues of global warming, climate change, hunger, malnutrition, and other global problems.
R.K. Raman and his associates elucidates on the challenges for Indian agricultural extension system in reaching to a large population for farmers in India. Digital tools have shown its potential to transform the agriculture production system and marketing. Geeta Mahalingapur writes on her journey and excitement as a Volunteer for the two day “Roots and Tuber Mela’’ at Mysuru.
The article by Abhishek Kumar, Ashisa Kumar Rath & Manish Pandey from Pradan is an attempt to explain the experience of the re-introduction of “Tuber crop cultivation” with multi-fold perspective, including strengthening the food system of the Tribal of Boarijore Block of Gidda district.
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