Agriculture Minister P. Prasad said here on Tuesday that it was notable that Kerala was among the first States to promote carbon-neutral agriculture. Organic farming practices had been undertaken at the State Seed Farm in Aluva over the last 10 years, he said.
The Minister was speaking at a consultative meeting here at the Ernakulam Town Hall to launch the ‘Njangalum Krishiyilekku’ (We are also taking up agriculture) campaign across the State with a view to achieve self-sufficiency in vegetable production. Cultivation of vegetables and other crops will be taken up under the campaign. Officials from the departments of Agriculture and Soil Conservation from Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Alappuzha participated in the meeting.
The major objective of the campaign was to achieve production of sufficient vegetables locally, so as to ensure healthy eating habits, health conservation and prevention of lifestyle diseases, added Mr. Prasad.
He said farmers should be looked upon as gods and those farmers who approached Krishi Bhavans (agricultural offices) should not be turned away. The offices should explore ways to support the farmers and help them live with dignity, he added.
The campaign intends to bring everybody into agriculture, to identify fallow land and encourage all families to take up organic agriculture. The campaign will not be limited to the Agriculture department and will involve all other departments.
Providing quick services, forming farmers’ groups, expanding cultivated area and finding means of effective marketing of farm produce were the other objectives of the project, said a communication here. Marketing of products will include online spaces. It is expected that about one lakh job opportunities can be created through such efforts.
Krishi Bhavans would be ranked according to their performance and the best of them would be recognised for their achievements, the communication added. Agricultural Production Commissioner Ishita Roy, Director of Agriculture T.V. Subhash and Additional Secretary Sabeer Hussain were among those who spoke.
