MSSRF centre in Jeypore,Koraput to have training facilities for tribal youth

The Hindu,Koraput, 11th March 2010:

Launching of training facilities for tribal youth will be made in the human resource development centre at M.S. Swaminathan research foundation (MSSRF), Jeypore on March 13, according to Prashant Kumar Parida, scientist from MSSRF.

The building, which was supported by the Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan, will have full-fledged facilities including residential facility for imparting training to the rural poor on various aspects.

Shining example

MSSRF at Jeypore has been engaged itself in the promotion of a non-basumati scented rice, Kalajeera, which is a shining example of how the traditional ones could be purified, made to yield more and fetch double the price of other varieties with proper market linkage.

Promoting cultivation and value addition and providing drudgery free machines to the villagers will go a long way to promote cultivation of nutritious but neglected millets.

The efforts made by the foundation in 25 villages on bio-village, livelihood, organic agriculture, micro enterprises, water management and promoting off -season vegetable cultivation through summer irrigation are all measures taken to improve the living standards of the people.

The community grain-seed bank is another initiative which helps the poor villagers to tide over the lean seasons and make sure that quality seeds are available during the sowing season.

While the research foundation is carrying out the novel ideas of Prof. Swaminathan to bridge the gap in knowledge by taking the ICT to villages through its village resource centre and village knowledge centres in Koraput district, this training facility will go a long way in linking the tribal youth with the development process, he says.