THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: To promote sustainable agriculture and floriculture and ensure an adequate supply of pesticide-free veggies, the Nedumangad block panchayat has launched a special project as part of its programmes in the current fiscal.
Christened ‘Vallam Nira,’ the project is aimed at making the families in the block panchayat limits self-sufficient in vegetable farming and floriculture, the panchayat said. One aim of ‘Vallam Nira’ is to ensure four types of organically-grown vegetables available in 25,000 homes during special occasions like Onam and Christmas. The second aim is to collect and sell surplus vegetables and flowers through stalls under ‘organic villages’ scheme.
This will ensure additional income to the households in the block panchayat. ‘Vallam Nira’ is jointly organised by the block panchayat, five grama panchayats under the government’s Haritha Keralam Mission and implemented through the Kudumbashree. ‘Vallam Nira’ covers approximately 50 per cent households in the block panchayat limits.
The planting material and necessary farming equipment is supplied through a training centre for organic farming controlled by the panchayat. Kudumbashree workers in the Karakulam, Aruvikkara, Vembayam, Panavur and Anadu grama panchayats distribute the necessary materials to the households.
The project is being implemented in three phases - planting materials were supplied to the wards in the first phase in May. Four types of vegetables, half a litre of organic pesticides and organic fertiliser were supplied to the households, block panchayat president B Biju said.
Nedumangad also has the distinction of being the first block panchayat in the state to organise a ‘Jaiva Sabha’ for organic farming and floriculture in all its 98 wards, he said.
More than 28,000 people including 21,000 Kudumbashree members and local residents have attended the ‘Jaiva Sabha’ meetings held in June, according to him.Between September 20 and 30, the panchayat plans to supply seeds and other planting materials to farmers who have reported crop loss in the heavy southwest