ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, and ISHA Outreach jointly organized a series of training programs on “Integrated Cultivation of Banana" for the FPO farmers of ISHA Outreach to upscale the recent cutting-edge technologies to the farmers in the region. On 12.03.2024, a training program was organized for Sathy Bhairavi FPO, Erode district at Bannari Amman Institute of Technology.

In his inaugural address, Dr. R. Selvarajan, Director of ICAR-NRCB, emphasized the importance of newly released varieties in the climate-resilient scenario. He underlined ICAR-NRCB's global leadership in banana research and the significance of the institution, noting that the Centre houses Asia's largest gene bank for bananas. He also highlighted that over the past year, ICAR-NRCB has developed 50 technologies, acquired patents, and made significant contributions to banana research

During the technical session, scientists from different disciplines addressed topics including integrated soil management, pest and disease management, post-harvest techniques, and value-added products. Dr. C. Karpagam, the local coordinator of the program, discussed the importance of various central and state government schemes for farmers. Recent AI technologies were also discussed during the training program.

Similar programs were conducted for the members of Manneeswarar and Chenni Andavar FPOs of Annur block on 14th May 2024. On 15th May, the training program was extended to FPO members of Karamadai FPO in Karamadai block. Approximately 700 FPO members were trained during the three training programs. Further, hand-holding support and business plans were discussed for the benefit of all the FPOs in the region. Additionally, an exhibition was part of the event, showcasing various banana varieties, value-added products, and NRCB technologies.