India, France to ink pact to boost agrarian research

Hyderabad: Bringing two nations closer to work in tandem in the field of agriculture, an agronomy scientist from France, Dr Sylvain Rafflegeau, on Friday, visited the Vegetable and Floriculture Research Station at Rajendranagar and pored-over the research activities being carried out in the agri-based institutions. Both the government-run research institutions function under Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticulture University (SKLTSHU).

Accompanied by a team of university scientists and SKLTSHU's research director Dr A Bhagwan, the French scientist, Dr Sylvain, went round the room to experience experimental fields raised in both the research stations and delved into the research activities on various crops. These crops are being raised on an experimental basis under schemes such as the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Vegetable and Tuber Crops as well as the All India Network Research Project (AINRP) on Onion and Garlic.

Dr Sylvain, who is a scientist from CIRAD, a French agricultural research and cooperation organisation mandated to work for sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions, thoroughly examined the experimental fields in both the research institutions and later made a proposal for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CIRAD organisation and SKLTSHU to propagate collaboration in the field of agrarian research.

According to officials, he enquired on commercial and native crops of the State and discussed with the scientists on the sustainable cropping system of Telangana and suitable intercrops in oil palm orchards for the first two years.

The French expert advised SKLTSHU's scientific staff to share their projects in CIRAD's "Boost–AE'' webpage to amplify international collaboration with other scientists. During the visit, an exhibition of vegetables, medicinal and aromatic oils being propagated and prepared under close supervision of the agri-scientists of SKLTSHU was also organised.

The French scientist was impressed by the way vegetables and other produces are being propagated and prepared by the University's scientist-staff. Later, Dr Sylvain visited the Floriculture Research Station and glanced into a dry-flower technology lab and went into various momentous being prepared using the technology. Southern Telangana zonal head Dr J Cheena, senior scientist and Vegetable Research Station head Dr D Anitha Kumari, Floriculture Research Station head Dr Prashanth, CEO Yagas Y S Ranganayakulu and other scientists were present on the occasion.