THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the International Research Centre for Below Sea-level Farming, an initiative of Dr M S Swaminathan Foundation, on February 6 at Mankombu, Alappuzha. The government has promised `5 crore to the research project.
Two research centres will be set up at Mankombu and Kumarakom. The centre at Mankombu will focus on Pokkali farming, while that at Kumarakom will research on fish farming below sea level. Another objective of the research project is encouraging below sea-level farming, thereby aiding organic farming initiatives. It also aims to study the agriculture projects which the farmers of Kuttanad had implemented centuries ago.
The decision was taken at the first governing body meeting of ‘Adaptation for Climate Change’ formed in the state following the Convention of Climate Change in Paris. Oommen Chandy presided over, while Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan, Water Resources Minister P J Joseph, Ports Minister K Babu, scientist M S Swaminathan and other representatives of the foundation participated in the discussion.