ICAR-CRIJAF Celebrates Its 71st Foundation Day!

During its more than six decades of existence, the ICAR-CRIJAF has achieved many milestones in technology development that could establish jute and allied fibre crops as profitable commercial crops in the face of stiff competition from other food crops and synthetic fibres.

ICAR-CRIJAF celebrated its 71st Foundation Day on 9th February 2023. On this auspicious occasion, Prof. Swapan Kumar Datta, Vice Chancellor of Biswa Bangla University and former Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR, New Delhi graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Prof, Timir Baran Jha, Former Head of Botany, Presidency University, Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore, Dr. Pradip Dey, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Kolkata and Debdut Mukherjee, Asst. Director, NJB, Kolkata was the Guests of Honor. The guests and dignitaries released balloons, pigeons cut the cake in commemoration of 71 st Foundation Day of the institute. The guests inaugurated the exhibition stalls displaying proven technologies developed by CRIJAF, KVKs and SHGs.

Dr. Swapan Kumar Datta, the function's Chief Guest, congratulated the Director and all members of the institute's staff on their commendable achievements and ongoing efforts on behalf of jute farmers. Dr. Datta is optimistic that decoding jute genome information will open up new avenues for developing designer jute with all desirable traits and climate resiliency. He praised the institute for its outstanding efforts in increasing the institute's visibility among relevant stakeholders.

Dr. B. K. Das, Director, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore, stated that every institute should develop links with farmers in the same way that ICAR-CRIJAF has. He was confident that the joint ICAR-CRIJAF programme would assist fishers in using jute retting tanks for commercial aquaculture.

Dr. Pradip Dey, Director of ICAR-ATARI, stated that microplastics are major pollutants in every ecosystem and can only be replaced by promoting jute-based diversified products, which CRIJAF has already done.

Former President of Presidency University, Dr. Timir Baran Jha, congratulated the staff and previous workers who have brought the institute to its current state by making many breakthroughs in research and technology development for the benefit of jute farmers and industries.

Debdut Mukherjee, Asst. Director, National Jute Board, reiterated NJB’s strong linkage with ICAR-CRIJAF in popularization of new technologies for jute cultivation as well as economic empowerment of farm women through collaborative programmes.

Earlier, Dr. Gouranga Kar, Director, ICAR-CRIJAF welcomed the guests and dignitaries. He specifically mentioned the golden history, major achievements, varieties and technologies developed by the institute to resolve the bottlenecks and problems faced by the jute farmers. He highlighted the role of these crops beyond fibre yielders as ideal candidate crop for ecosystem service, nutraceuticals and other by products.

Dr. Kar specifically mentioned that the reorientation of the research project in programme mode for need based, problem solving research for technology development can break the yield barrier and bridge the yield gap. This approach is linked to the output to meet the UN development goal as well as national priorities like Atmanirvar Bharat. Massive pre-breeding program, use of ICT technologies, apps for farmer’s advisory, nanotechnology approach, fast varietal replacement, mechanization, new retting accelerator, big promotional projects are going to resolve the new challenges in jute sector for framers prosperity. 

Besides he emphasized the importance and special initiatives of the institute in facilitating formation of jute- based Self Help Groups and Farmers’ Producers Organization and training on manufacturing of value added jute diversified products that is going to encourage entrepreneurship and ensure higher income of farmers and other stakeholders engaged in jute sector.

The industries involved in the commercialization of ICAR-CRIJAF Technologies and SHGs with good performance were felicitated on this occasion. The programme was attended by delegates from academic institutions, Industry, Govt. Institutions, ICAR Institutes and Regional Stations, farmers, SHG members, staff of the institute and Media persons. The proven technologies of ICAR-CRIJAF, KVKs, products of SHGs and FPOs were showcased in different exhibition stalls for the benefit of all the stakeholders and farmers.