The Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), in association with the Indian Society for Root Crops is organising an international conference on ‘Tropical roots and tubers for sustainable livelihood under changing agro-climate’ from July 9 to 12.
CM Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the conference at Hotel Mascot here on July 9 at 5 p m. The Department of Agricultural Research and Education secretary and ICAR director-general S Ayyappan would preside over the function. Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan and MoS for HRD Shashi Tharoor would be the chief guests. Around 40 delegates engaged in tuber crops research from the USA, UK, Colombia, Peru, China, Switzerland, Germany, Nigeria, Thailand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka would participate in the conference. Around 250 delegates from various states in India would participate. The four-day conference would deliberate on the role of ‘tropical tuber crops for food and livelihood security’ to millions around the world. The conference would make important recommendations, which would influence the research, development and policy implications of tropical tuber crops the world over. Two special sessions- a ‘satellite meeting’ to assess research needs of roots tubers under CGIAR research programme on Roots Tubers and Bananas and a ‘scientist-industry interface’ in which tuber crops-based industrialists from Kerala, TN will attend form part of programme.