JACKFRUIT MISSION: AGRAGAMEE’S PLAN OF ACTION

[ACHYUT DAS]

Dear Friends,

Please read my Facebook posting on Jackfruit Mission in Odisha. The Link is : https://www.facebook.com/achyutdas/posts/4632241460155021

The text is given below.

I hope all our friends in these networks will take interest in jackfruit which will improve Food Securities, enhanceLivelihood and minimise the impact of Climate Change. As we know, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Tripura are well ahead but other states have to make a beginning like Odisha. The NGOs/CSOs , i am sure, have a big role to play.

JACKFRUIT MISSION: AGRAGAMEE’S PLAN OF ACTION

It is heartening to see the Government and the NGOs are considering Jackfruit Mission seriously. The Department of Forest and the Department of Horticulture have started their Nurseries. I am told a perspective plan has been formulated. The Government of Odisha will ultimately launch Jackfruit Mission. Hopefully.

What are the main Issues? We must cover the entire Odisha and establish a GO-NGO Collaborative Framework at the District Level and that too at the field level. We shall address three topics – a) Plantation, b) Processing and Marketing, c) Research and Advocacy. On Plantation, we must establish Germ Plasm Banks at different locations and have the best species protected and promoted. Odisha have 2 major varieties where as the country has 30 odd varieties. There would be application if Science and Technology to establish these Germplasm Banks.

The Jackfruit Mission must aim to provide certain basic support to Farmers so that it is locally used as a Food Items through processing. Since there is going to be a huge production, the marketing of Raw and Ripe Fruits will be a big issue. Many companies are interested but the Jackfruit Mission should see that the Farmers are not exploited as it has happened in case of other products.

We must set up FPOs/Producers Groups to take up Jackfruit seriously. The institutions like NABARD, ORMAS, OLM, APICOL etc. will surely come forward to play a big role.

Agragamee is taking a lead. We have procured 800 Jackfruit Grafts from a Kolakata Nursery which are basically Thailand variety. We want to procure good Grafts from Bangalore and Kadium ( AP) also provided we have enough resources. But we have started raising 20,000 seedlings, which will be grafted soon. In these efforts, Prof. Pravu Charan Lenka (Retired OUAT Professor of Horticulture) and Dr. P Srinivash Senior Scientist of CHES, Bhubaneswar have come forward to help us. Dr. Srinivsh has supported to raise 10,000 seedlings at our Goudaguda Campus at Tentulikhunti Nabarangpur District and will train the local grafters. He has the mission to make Nabarangpur as the hub of Jackfruits in the State. In Rayagada, Kandhamal and Koraput Districts Agragamee has started Jackfruit Nurseries also.

With best wishes,

Achyut Das

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Achyut Das
Director
Agragamee
Kashipur -765015
Rayagada Odisha
India
Phone: 06865 285149/0674 2551123
mobile: 09437073588
Fax: 0674 2551130
e-mail: achyutdas@agragamee.org/achyutdas@gmail.com
Blog:http://friendsofkashipur.blogspot.com
website:www.agragamee.org