KARNATAKA: HORTICULTURE / GARDEN: CM Opens Mysuru City’s First Botanical Garden – The 15-acre Lingambudhi Lake Botanical Garden

Chief Minister Siddharamaiah inaugurated the Mysuru city’s first Lingambudhi Lake Botanical Garden at Srirampura II Stage, Ramakrishnanagar, this morning.

The garden, spread over 15-acre area, is developed at an estimated cost of Rs. 4 crore and has over 300 plant varieties, including medicinal plants.

The Chief Minister and dignitaries, who went around the garden on a battery-operated vehicle, also released the pamphlets on Geographical Indicator (GI) products of Mysuru like Nanjangud Rasabale, Mysore Veelyedele (Betel leaves), Mysore Mallige (Jasmine) and several other farm produces.

Horticulture Minister S.S. Mallikarjun, Mysuru District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister for Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh, MLAs K. Harishgowda and D. Ravishankar and others were present.  A topiary at the Botanical Garden.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL & KARNATAKA : SILK INDUSTRY: Sericulture And Silk Industry International Training Session Begins, Mysuru

Over 30 foreign delegates attend month-long programme at Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute in Mysuru city.

A month-long international training programme on ‘Sericulture and Silk Industry’ began at the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI) in the city this morning.

More than 30 delegates from countries including Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines, Uganda, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Laos, Thailand and Bangladesh are participating.

This training programme is conducted under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The trainees will undergo 30 days of practical training in mulberry silkworm rearing, complemented by classroom teaching and exposure visits to all sectors of sericulture.

The event was inaugurated at CSRTI premises on Manandavadi Road here by Dr. C. Meenakshi, Director (Finance) and Member-Secretary of the Central Silk Board, in the presence of Dr. Gandhi Doss, Director of CSRTI and R. Dileep Kumar, Executive Director of the International Sericulture Commission.

Dr. Meenakshi emphasised the importance of sericulture technologies and training for the development of the silk industry. She highlighted India’s unique position in the world’s premium silk production and the role of the International Sericulture Commission in conducting the international training.

Dr. Meenakshi stated that the trainees would receive hands-on training in mulberry silkworm rearing for four weeks and be exposed to the latest technologies developed by CSRTI. They will also visit progressive sericulture farmers and allied sectors of sericulture in and around Mysuru, with the goal of increasing silk production worldwide.

She informed the delegates that CSRTI Mysuru, as a pioneering Sericultural Research Institute under the Central Silk Board, is dedicated to research and development of technologies to enhance silk productivity and quality in India.

The institute also conducts training programmes on various aspects of sericulture for national and international participants. She encouraged the trainees to share the knowledge gained from quality silk cultivation in their respective nations.

According to CSRTI, the main objectives of this training programme are to support the introduction and development of sericulture activities in third-world countries, generate skilled manpower in sericulture, provide training in extension management and technology transfer, and impart knowledge in post-cocoon technology and successful commercial sericulture practices for replication in other developed countries.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES /INNOVATION: Patent Won for Medicinal Patch by Scientists of BLDE University

A team of scientists from BLDE Deemed University has won a patent for an innovative method of administering drugs to patients.

The Patent Office, Union government, has granted patent for 20 years, under the Patents Act.

The patent has been granted for the development of “pharmaceutical formulations of electro-responsive smart hydrogel for transdermal drug delivery”.

The patent applicant is Raghavendra V. Kulkarni, Registrar of the university and pharmaceutical scientist.

His team from the Sri Sanganabasava Mahaswami College of Pharmacy includes Sudha B. Patil, Krishnacharya Akkamanchi and Kushal K. Das.

The patented method involves reaching medicine to targeted organs through the skin, at regulated timings, through a patch applied on the skin. The method is expected to ensure painless drug delivery at affordable prices. It is scalable, said a release.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: KARNATAKA: AGRICULTURE, FOOD: COFFEE : October 01st – International Coffee Day to be Celebrated at Belur

Karnataka Growers Federation, an umbrella organisation of coffee growers in the Malnad region, will celebrate International Coffee Day at Belur on October 1.  This time the event will be part of the Sharannavarathri Dasara programme being held at Belur since September 26.

In a press release on Thursday, KGF president H.T. Mohan Kumar and general secretary K.B. Krishnappa said the KGF and other coffee planters associations will jointly hold the programme at Government Junior College grounds in the town at 10 a.m. Excise Minister K. Gopalaiah, who is also Minister in charge of Hassan district, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje, BJP national general secretary C.T. Ravi and others will take part in the programme.

India has a prominent place among coffee-growing countries.

Every year, coffee production contributes ₹8,000 crore of foreign exchange to the government. The KGF will take up a programme to promote coffee consumption in the country, the press release said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: FOOD & ECONOMY / AGRICULTURE, COFFEE: Coffee Board to Launch 4 Premium Varieties under ‘India Coffee’ Brand on Amazon

As international price volatility challenges prevail, the Coffee Board is strengthening the domestic appeal for pure coffee across the country.

Coffee Board of India, a body that represents coffee growers and coffee industry in the country, has decided to expand its reach by launching four premium coffees under the ‘India Coffee’ brand as well as two affordable coffees under the ‘Coffees of India’ brand on Amazon, said K.G. Jagadeesha, IAS, CEO & Secretary, Coffee Board on Monday.

“Now, we are expanding our reach by launching four premium coffees such as Coorg Arabica Coffee (GI), Chikmagalur Arabica Coffee (GI), 100% Arabica coffee and a blend of Arabica and Robusta under ‘India Coffee’ brand,’‘ he said.

The launch would also include affordable coffees such as 100% Arabica and a blend of Arabica and Robusta under the ‘Coffees of India’ brand, he said.

“Coffee Board’s collaboration with Amazon is expected to boost domestic coffee consumption. Our coffees are sourced from the best coffee estates to suit the taste of millions of coffee connoisseurs across the country,” Dr. Jagadeesha added.

As international price volatility challenges prevail, the Coffee Board was in the process of strengthening the domestic appeal for pure coffee across the country, Coffee Board CEO further stated.

Sourced from Karnataka

Coffee consumption in the country is on the rise. Through this association, a premium range of coffees will be available on Amazon.in, that are sourced from the coffee-producing regions of the country in Karnataka, as per Amazon.

“This is in line with our endeavour to offer flavours of Indian coffee at value offers to our customers,’‘ said Nishant Raman, Director – IN Consumables, Amazon India, in a statement.

The country’s coffee exports stood at a rise of 90% in April-June 2022 over the same period in FY 2013-14. As the seventh largest coffee producer in the world, India exports 70% of its coffee overseas. Acclaimed as a region known for the origin of high-quality coffee, India has created a niche for itself with seven GI-registered coffees that are offered globally, according to Coffee Board.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KSR Bengaluru to become First Railway Station in the State to Sell Famed GI tagged Channapatna Toys

KSR Bengaluru is all set to become the first railway station in the state to market the famed Channapatna toys. A stall to sell them will be rolled out from Friday (March 25) on a pilot basis and it will be trialed for a fortnight.

Channapatna toys are special wooden toys and dolls manufactured in Channapatna town in Ramanagara district of Karnataka and have the Geographical Indicator (GI) tag.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (edited)

* Spreading innovation

Joseph Lobo, a 44-yr-old farmer,  is popularising the hydroponic method of cultivation and is growing the famous Shankarapura jasmine.

They say a farmer is a magician who makes his living from the mud. But that is not true in the case of Joseph Lobo, a 44-year-old farmer from the coastal district of Udupi.Lobo hails from Shankarapura, a tiny nondescript village sandwiched between the mighty Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Shankarapura is called the jasmine capital of the Karnataka coastline and is famous for its Shankarapura mallige (mallige in Kannada means jasmine flowers). And like the majority of the residents of the village, Lobo too cultivates Shankarapura mallige. A passionate farmer, Lobo has been growing the Shankarapura mallige — which was accorded GI tag in 2008 — for the last 15 years. 

But what sets him apart from the rest of the growers is that he has attempted to grow his prized possession without soil! Yes, you read it right. Lobo became the first grower in the region to adopt the novel hydroponic method of cultivation, which in layman’s language is soil-less cultivation.Lobo says he was inspired after attending a workshop at University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, and started experimenting on the new method of cultivation. Lobo has 32 jasmine plants already, including the three grown using the hydroponic technique.

First

November 01st, 2021 – First Post – Karnataka Rajotsava Day –