The Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR) celebrated its Foundation Day on Friday. A.K. Singh, Deputy Director General (Horticultural Sciences), ICAR, New Delhi, inaugurated the celebrations.
Manoj P. Samuel, Executive Director, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), delivered the Foundation Day lecture on ‘Water: quantity and quality management strategies in view of changing climate scenario’.
In a new initiative aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs, the institute launched a traditional recipe product, Mallikappi, a brew of coriander and spices developed by its off-campus incubatee, Suman Research and Rehabilitation Centre, Palazhi, Kozhikode. The institute will provide support for development and marketing of spice-based value-added products to the incubatee.
The institute also executed two varietal licensing agreements with M/s. Kesav Plants and Landscapes (Nutmeg varieties, IISR Visvasree, and IISR Keralasree) and M/s Olevia Agrofarming Pvt. Ltd. (Black pepper variety, IISR Thevam).
As part of the Foundation Day, the institute conferred spice excellence awards for significant contribution on Jomy Mathew from Shivamogga district, Karnataka, Colonel Prakash Chand Rana from Himachal Pradesh, and M.M. Joseph from Kozhikode.
M/s Namsai Organic Spices and Agricultural Products Producer Co. Ltd. and M/s Attappady Cooperative Farming Society won the spice Awards in the institutional category for their exemplary interventions in the spices sector.
The institute released two extension folders on turmeric and cardamom cultivation. C.K. Thankamani, Director, IISR, welcomed the gathering. More than 200 participants including former directors of the institute, staff members, farmers and representatives from various institutions took part in the event.
