Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 13 (PTI) At a time when the global demand for rubber products is increasing, national scientific institutions should make interventions to popularise rubber cultivation across the country, Dr N Kalaiselvi, Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), said here on Monday.

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Kalaiselvi was speaking during the inauguration of the 'One Week One Lab (OWOL)' programme of CSIR-NIIST at its campus at Pappanamcode in the city.

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"We have to try to popularise rubber cultivation across the country as a climate-resilient and all-region crop wherever it is possible. NIIST (National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology) should take it up as a challenge," the top scientist said.

Dr C Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram, presided over the function. Prof Javed Iqbal, Chairman, CSIR NIIST Research Council, was the Guest of Honour.

Since Kerala is known for its heritage in rubber, NIIST can work with farmers and make rubber cultivation as an end-to-end support system, which will help create employment, rubber-based industries and farmers could be given more than enough benefits and advantages, Kalaiselvi said.

"We are having dependence on a lot of countries for rubber-based products whether it is tyre or value-added rubber products. When the country is talking about Atmanirbar Bharat, self-reliance and Make in India initiatives, NIIST has to take up the new initiative by trying to promote more farmers into rubber cultivation and help them get a cherished income," Kalaiselvi is quoted as saying in an NIIST release here.

She said NIIST can also promote interventions in coir and spices sectors of Kerala.

Noting that the next 25 years of India is scientifically important, Kalaiselvi urged researchers to adopt one industry problem by each one of them, and take a maximum of three years to come up with a solution for it.

Later addressing a press meet, Kalaiselvi termed the achievements of NIIST in solid waste management, generating eco-friendly manure from biomedical waste and leather products from agricultural waste as 'magic', and urged the prestigious institution to come up with more strategies.

Kalaiselvi also inaugurated the stalls of the Millet Exhibition as part of the OWOL programme.

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