Training cum awareness programme on tuber crops was organized by ICAR Research Complex for Goa and Directorate of Agriculture, Govt. of Goa between 8^th and 9^th November, 2011 for farmers of Goa state.   In the inaugural function, Shri. Pratapsingh Rane, Hon’ble Speaker, Goa legislative Assembly was the chief guest and he spoke about the importance of tuber crops in local food habits and its cultivation on large scale. Dr. N.P.Singh, Director, ICAR Research Complex for Goa welcomed the participants and gave brief introduction about the programme. Dr.R.S.Mishra, Head, CTCRI Regional Centre, Bhubaneswar   gave brief introductory remarks about the importance of tuber crops in food and nutrition. Dr.S.K.Naskar, Director, CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram was the guest of honour in the inaugural function. He spoke about the different technologies developed at CTCRI including technologies for post harvest handling and value addition in different tuber crops. It was followed by address by special invitee, Shri.S.S.Negi, DGM, NABARD, Goa where in he emphasized the role of NABARD in providing financial help to form SHG’s and other farmers groups for taking up agricultural activities. Dr.M.Thangam, Organizing secretary and Senior Scientist (Horticulture), ICAR, Goa proposed the vote of thanks.

 In the technical sessions, lectures were presented on different aspects of tuber crops to the participants. The first lecture on Commercial cultivation of Yams and its Seed production was delivered by Dr.R.S.Mishra followed by Post harvest handling and value addition in tuber crops by Dr.S.K.Naskar. A lecture on Role of Tuber crops in achieving food security in Goa was delivered by Dr. N.P.Singh. Diseases of tuber crops and their management was presented by Dr.R.S.Mishra. Later farmers were taken to tuber crops plots at ATDC where in crops like Elephant Foot Yam, Colocasia, Dioscorea, Tapioca were shown for the participants.

 On the second day of the programme (9^th November, 2011), experts from CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram and Bhubaneswar were taken to field visit to Bicholim and Sattari Taluk. The germplasm available in the tuber crops viz., elephant foot yam, dioscorea, colocasia were collected from farmers field for conservation and on farm dissemination of technologies in tuber crops were transferred to the tuber crops growing farmers. A total of 100 farmers attended the programme during 8^th and 9^th November, 2011.