KOTTAYAM: In a major initiative to prepare a comprehensive database on natural rubber sector, right from the total areas of cultivation to the details of rubber tappers, Rubber Board is conducting the first ever nationwide census. The census to be conducted by using a mobile application will begin with the data collection in Kottayam soon.
It will be carried out all over India in a phased manner. Kerala accounts for 67 per cent of total rubber area in the country, of which, Kottayam district shares about one-fifth of the area and hence, the survey is proposed to start in the district in the first phase. The field enumeration is proposed to be carried out by employing competent unemployed youths, preferably, hailing from the same locality with the help of various Rubber Producing Societies (RPSs). The survey will be carried out with Digitalized Mobile Application, ‘RUBAC’, developed in association with the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management- Kerala.
According to the Board authorities, the main objectives of the ‘Census on Rubber’ are ascertaining the actual area of rubber plantation, new-planted area, re-planted area, the age profile of trees, discarded area over the years, level of adoption of new clones, size of holdings and details of tappers etc.
“The updated details are highly essential for the formulation of any developmental project on rubber industry and it will benefit the growers as well. The government introduces several schemes which directly benefit the rubber growers. Hence, census is also essential to create a data base of rubber growers and tappers employed. The unit-level information collected through the census will be utilised for statistical purpose only and confidentiality will be strictly adhered,” said the authorities.
Rubber Board executive director Dr K N Raghavan launched the mobile app ‘RUBAC’ for rubber census in the country in a function held at the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) here on Friday.
He also launched the Landslide Zonation Map of rubber plantations delineating rubber plantations into low, medium and high landslide risk categories. The MoU for the collaborative project of Cardamom Research Institute of Spices Board India, Digital University of Kerala, and the Rubber Board for developing digitised soil fertility maps and online fertilizer recommendation for cardamom plantations in the lines of RuBSIS developed for rubber was also shared.