ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana

The ICAR–National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Tiruchirappalli, organized Kisan Diwas and the Banana Festival on 23 December 2025 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh and to honour the contributions and hard work of the farming community in India. The programme witnessed the participation of more than 800 participants, including farmers, entrepreneurs, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) scientists, and other stakeholders. The Chief Guest, Dr. G. Byju, Director, ICAR–Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram, highlighted that banana productivity across states is encouraging. He pointed out that although banana occupies only 3 per cent of the area, it contributes nearly 10 per cent of the total horticultural production in the country. In the current scenario, nutritional security is more important to reduce malnutrition, and in this aspect, horticultural crops play a vital role in nutrient supplementation along with the standard food system in the developing world. Further, he stated that IoT- and AI-enabled technologies are revolutionizing agriculture towards the Agriculture 4.0 era. Dr. R. Selvarajan, Director, ICAR–NRCB, in his Presidential Address, underlined the importance of celebrating National Farmers’ Day in honour of Shri. Chaudhary Charan Singh, who contributed significantly to agriculture as well as to the farming community in India. He further appreciated the farmers for their dedicated hard work and contribution to banana cultivation, through which India plays a major role in the global banana sector. He highlighted NRCB initiatives such as Integrated Farming Systems, clump management technology, and the development of over 60 banana-based value-added products, which are contributing to the scientific cultivation of banana. He also informed that the virus-free ‘Kaveri Poovan’ variety, with about 25 per cent higher yield, is proposed for release by January 2026 during the Pongal season. In his Guest of Honour Address, Dr. Moni Madaswamy, Former Director General, National Informatics Centre (NIC), New Delhi, highlighted the role of digital networks and ICT in transforming Indian agriculture, recalling initiatives started as early as 1983. Referring to the Doubling Farmers’ Income initiative, he emphasized the need for block-level IT centres, especially in tribal and dryland areas. He noted the potential economic value of banana residues, estimating that value addition could generate ₹50 per plant, and advocated for one agri-tech start-up per village panchayat. He also highlighted the convergence of Genomics, Robotics, Informatics, and Nanotechnology (GRIN) for smart banana farming. Another Guest of Honour, Dr. R. Viswanathan, Former Director, ICAR–Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR), Lucknow, appreciated ICAR–NRCB for developing demand-driven technologies with high adoption rates and for its outreach across all banana-growing states. As part of the programme, panel discussions on banana production and protection technologies and research–extension–farmer linkages were organized. Under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) scheme, free planting material (Kaveri Poovan), inputs, and farm implements such as spades and crowbars were distributed to 200 beneficiaries. Further, an exhibition with more than 15 stalls showcasing banana technologies and products was also organized. A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed with the Vivekananda Trust for the development of tribal farmers under the Ainthinai Mission Project, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Government Tribal Welfare Department. The programme began with a welcome address by Dr. M. Mayilvaganan, Principal Scientist, ICAR–NRCB, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. V. Kumar, Principal Scientist, ICAR–NRCB.