Delhi, 17 March (H.S.): The Andaman and Nicobar Islands face significant challenges in agriculture, fisheries, water resources, healthcare, and disaster management, driven by inadequate infrastructure and limited access to modern technologies. Despite these hurdles, opportunities for sustainable development exist.

A stakeholders meeting on March 11-13, 2025, at JNRM in Port Blair, organized by CSIR-NIScPR and supporting institutions, will discuss CSIR technologies aimed at enhancing the region’s socio-economic potential. Key topics include Floriculture Mission and Solar Drier Technology, fostering partnerships and capacity building. Experts emphasized the synergy between traditional knowledge and innovation for developing marketable products.

The event aims to transform local resources into value-added products and promote collaboration for sustainable growth in the islands.

Kamachi Chellammal, known as Andaman’s ‘Nariyal Amma’ and a Padma Shri recipient, participated in an event with scientists evaluating agricultural technologies for the area. The first session highlighted food processing innovations from CSIR-CFTRI, with speakers Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Dr. Aashitosh Inamdar, and Dr. Pratap Singh Negi discussing local adaptation strategies.

The second session focused on the application of CSIR technologies in floriculture and the AROMA mission, featuring contributions from Dr. Ramesh Chandra Srivastava, Dr. Rajesh Kumar Verma, Dr. Sukhjinder Singh, and Dr. Manish Bhoyar. The second day included presentations on beekeeping technologies, water desalination, and a solar thermal dryer for agriculture, concluding with information on NABARD’s funding for the region from Pratap Singh.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar