ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

conducted on mushroom cultivation, brooding and
management of ducklings and chicks, vaccination,
aquarium setting, marketing of ornamental fish, land
preparation and management for nursery plants etc.
Bee Keeping
Training and demonstration was conducted on bee
keeping and honey processing in two blocks of
Jagdeeshpur and Musafirkhana in Sultanpur District
of UP. Ninety farmers were trained on bee keeping,
honey production, value addition, product making
and marketing. Trained beneficiaries were
introduced to banking schemes for financial support.
Kisan Credit Cards were provided through banks and
National Kisan Clubs were formed by the trainers for
further development. Trainers' training was
organized.
Medicinal Plants
Organic cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants
was undertaken in Uttarkashi District of Uttaranchal
for income generation and sustainable development
of the rural community. Nursery was established and
the planting material was distributed to the farmers in
three villages, Ranadi, Hitandu and Matholi to
motivate them to cultivate medicinal plants. The
species under cultivation were Coleus forskholii,
Rauvolfia serpentina and Pelargonium graveolens.
Farmers' visits were arranged to the nursery and
learn about the prospects of cultivation of medicinal
plants. About 25 farmers showed interest and agreed
to undertake the cultivation in their respective fields.
To conserve biodiversity and improve the livelihoods
of communities dependent on forests, a programme
was undertaken in Darjeeling, West Bengal. High
yielding varieties were introduced and depending
upon the suitability of land and climatic condition,
different feasible interventions were designed with
the involvement of target population. Around 6250
seedlings of large cardamom were raised by 30
households and are being sold as well as
transplanted in the beneficiaries' field. Progressive
farmers are raising multiple saplings procured from
reliable sources and building certified nurseries and
availed subsidy besides the benefits that will accrue
from the sale of these saplings. Black pepper and
ginger saplings were distributed amongst the
farmers for cultivation. Square Metre Vegetable
Garden was introduced as a green house technology
to enabled farmers to cultivate a variety of
vegetables, mainly: coriander, spinach, fenugreek,
beetroot, carrot, cauliflower, tomato, capsicum,
broccoli, lettuce and round chilli from a small piece of
land for higher economic return. Vermicomposting
approached was introduced and five units were
established involving five self-help groups for
producing and selling the compost.
Product Development
A protocol was standardized for oil extraction from
trash fish and its purification at Kanyakumari District,
Tamil Nadu. Chemical analysis such as acid value,
free fatty acids, -carotene and HUFA content were
analyzed. Vitamins A, D, E and K compared with the
values obtained for commercial cod liver oil. Dried
fish were powdered and different ingredients and
vitamin mineral premix were used to prepare poultry
feed by altering the ratio of fish waste meal. Capsule
formation and shelf life of fish oil capsule are being
evaluated and efficacy of the prepared poultry feeds
is being tested. Training programmes were
conducted to disseminate the technology to the
target community.
Genetic Disorders
The programme was taken up in Balanagar Mandal
of Andhra Pradesh to create awareness on genetic
disorders in rural folk and training the primary health
centre workers about identification and prevention of
genetic disorders. Demonstration and training
programmes were conducted to benefit Anganwadi
workers and multipurpose health assistants. Posters
and handouts on genetic disorders in English and
local language were distributed. The data obtained
from the survey on prevalence of genetic disorders
has been documented.
141 Biotechnology for Societal Development