The theme for this year’s World Coconut Day is ‘Coconuts in times of uncertainty: Securing food, energy, and livelihoods’.
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The ICAR–Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (ICAR–CPCRI), Kasaragod, will celebrate World Coconut Day on Wednesday. The theme for this year’s day is ‘Coconuts in times of uncertainty: Securing food, energy, and livelihoods.’As part of the celebrations, the institute will launch SHITIZ 2.0, an online entrepreneur mentorship and pre-incubation programme aimed at supporting aspiring entrepreneurs, startups, and innovators in transforming ideas and technologies into viable enterprises, its director, K. Balachandra Hebbar, said in a release on Monday.A two-day stakeholders’ workshop on ‘Management of extreme climate vulnerability in plantation crops’ will also be inaugurated on the occasion. The workshop will bring together scientists, government officials, development agencies, farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), entrepreneurs, and startups to deliberate on strategies for strengthening the resilience of plantation crops to extreme climatic events.Dinakar Adiga, director, ICAR–Directorate of Cashew Research, Puttur, will be the chief guest and inaugurate the World Coconut Day celebrations. Senthil Vinayagam, director, Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bengaluru, will inaugurate the stakeholders’ workshop.The programme will be attended by officials from ICAR institutes, State government departments, development agencies, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), farmers, FPOs, entrepreneurs, and startups from coconut- and plantation-crop-growing regions. Outstanding farmers from different coconut-growing states will be honoured in recognition of their contributions to coconut cultivation. Entrepreneurs will also be felicitated during the programme.Several technologies and value-added products developed by ICAR–CPCRI, along with important publications, will be released on the occasion. MoUs will also be signed to strengthen institutional collaboration and promote the application and commercialisation of technologies in the plantation sector, Mr. Hebbar said.Special focus on El Niño and climate resilienceWith the country experiencing the impacts of El Niño and increasing climate variability, the stakeholders’ workshop will place special emphasis on understanding and managing extreme climatic stresses in plantation crops.The technical sessions will include expert presentations and discussions on the science behind El Niño and its implications for plantation crops; management of climate-induced stresses in plantation crops; strategising production technologies under extreme climatic conditions; climate-resilient quality planting material: production and supply; emerging dynamics of pests and diseases under climate change; and building resilience of farming communities in the plantation sector. Published - August 31, 2026 07:10 pm IST
