KOTTAYAM (Commodity Online): Addressing the concerns of productivity and output in natural rubber, the Rubber Board chairman, Sajen Peter today put a special emphasize on strengthening research activity.
Addressing the international workshop on ‘Climate Change and Natural Rubber Cultivation: Research and Development Priorities’ here, Peter pointed out that the problem of production and productivity can be solved to a great extent by evolving drought resistant clones and by developing new cultural practices.
The three day international workshop is held at Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) and jointly organised by Rubber Research Institute of India and International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB).
In his inaugural address, Peter maintained that climate change is posing threat to the farmers all over the world and small growers would be worse affected. Any reduction in supply of natural rubber due to global warming not only jeopardise the livelihood means of so many millions, but would also put the rubber manufacturing industry in trouble.
Increased use of synthetic rubbers as substitute would result in further build up of green house gases, he further mentioned.
Speaking on the climate situation and the issues that a country has to face due to changing climatic conditions, the Secretary General, IRRDB, Dr. Abdul Aziz said that every natural rubber growing country faced problems of weather and new pests and disease might appear in the new climate scenario.
Thirty one scientific papers will be presented in the workshop by the experts from the areas of physiology, agronomy, molecular biology, biotechnology, breeding, pathology, climatology, extension and planning.
The workshop is being conceived with the objectives to review how far climate has changed in the major natural rubber producing countries of the world, to examine how far climate change impacted growth and productivity of rubber, to assess future climate scenarios in natural rubber growing countries, to evolve research strategies for rubber cultivation in stressful environments, to evaluate the carbon dioxide sequestration potential of natural rubber holdings in different countries and to evaluate innovations in rubber processing and manufacturing industries for energy efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emission to mitigate climate changes.
No comments:
Post a Comment