Coimbatore: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU-Coimbatore) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Central Silk Board (CSB) to promote collaborative initiatives in sericulture research, training, skill development and technology transfer.
The CSB has identified TNAU\u2019s Forest College and Research Institute (FC&RI-Mettupalayam) as one among four main institutes in India to establish an Incubation Centre to promote entrepreneurship among college students and unemployed youth in textile and non-textile applications of silk under Next Generation Silk Innovation Network (NGSIN) programme.
P. Sivakumar, Member-Secretary, CSB, on Saturday (November 7), exchanged the MoU documents with M. Raveendran, Acting Vice-Chancellor, TNAU, in the presence of Dean of FC&RI A. Balasubramanian.
K.A. Murugesh, Professor and Head, Department of Sericulture, FC&RI, said the MoU will facilitate collaborative activities in sericulture research, mulberry germplasm evaluation, technology development, capacity building and skill-oriented programmes.
Mr. Sivakumar inspected the mulberry genetic resources maintained by the TNAU and advocated farmer-oriented technologies. He subsequently visited Sirumugai and inspected the training facilities under the SAMARTH scheme for capacity building in textile sector, at the silk weaving cluster. Interacting with faculty, the CSB Member Secretary called for need-based research, innovation, entrepreneurship, skill development and technology dissemination.
