KOCHI: In an attempt to address the shortage of coconut tree climbers, which has disrupted harvesting cycles and landed farmers in crisis, the Coconut Development Board (CDB) has decided to create a database of tree climbers and launch a call centre.
Farmers across the state have been complaining that they are unable to get tree climbers and are forced to depend on migrant labourers who are charging exorbitant rates despite having no practical knowledge about the work.
The CDB is planning to develop a database of coconut climbers across the state and create clusters at the village level. Farmers can contact the call centre for harvesting and plant protection needs and the CDB will inform the clusters in the locality. The clusters in each village will have climbers and entrepreneurs who will harvest the coconut and help the farmers sell their produce at a decent price. The CDB will help entrepreneurs produce value-added products and market them.
“We have launched the Friends of Coconut Tree (FoCT) initiative to develop a professional group of youth across the state who will be trained in harvesting and plant-protection activities. Unemployed youth will be trained to develop technical skills, entrepreneurship capacity, leadership qualities and communication skills to address the needs of coconut farmers,” said CDB assistant director Mini Mathew.
According to her, skilled coconut climbers trained by the CDB earn between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000 a day. The CDB imparted training to 32,000 people in the state over the past 12 years but many of them have left the profession. As the training was imparted through NGOs, the CDB lost contact with trained climbers, which prompted the board to develop a database. “The development of a database is in progress and we are planning to launch the call centre by June-July. There is also a proposal to develop a mobile application,” said Mini.
The plan is to select, train and deploy at least 5,000 youngsters in 10 major coconut-growing districts of the state. The identification of youth will be carried out through Kudumbashree, kera karshaka samithis, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Coconut Producers Societies (CPS), and primary agricultural societies. The training will include coconut climbing techniques, harvesting operation, pollination, and the development of entrepreneurship skills.