UNDP's neem project launched in Asom

Guwahati, Apr 05 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Chemicals, Fertilisers and Parliamentary Affairs B K Handique today launched the multi-crore neem project.

Christened "Production and Promotion of Neem-based Pesticides as Environment-friendly Biodegradable Alternates to Chemical Pesticides" and funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Toklai Experimental Station (TES) in Jorhat of Upper Asom was one of the ten selected participating research institutes to implement the project in the Northeast.

Speaking at the function, Chairman of the experimental station S Prakash said in view of the potential multiple benefit of the neem plant in agricultural pest control and healthcare, intensive scientific research has been done in the recent past.

So far, about 200 agricultural pests had been screened to record the effectiveness of neem throughout the world.

Easy availability of raw material, low cost, safety and environment-friendly attributes make neem-based pesticides a safe alternative to chemical pesticides.

Mr Prakash said countries like China, Myanmar and Thailand had made about 200 products from neem as part of attempts to look for better alternatives to the chemical pesticides, having adverse impact on the biotic and abiotic components.

The Chairman said the Toklai Experimentation Station had also made efforts to minimize the input of toxic pesticides in tea eco-system by introducing environment-friendly biological pesticides, both microbial and botanicals.

Under the new neem project, the plan of work in the experimentation station would be establishment of a Neem Park, training at grass-root level, involvement of self help groups and demonstration at grower sites. The coverage areas would be tea-growing belts of NE.

UNI