‘Jaiva Gramam’ campaign, a programme to encourage people keen to take up organic farming but are constrained by problems including marketing of products, has been launched in Karumalloor panchayat. It was launched as part of ‘Njattuvela’ observance with the support of the grama panchayat and Lions Club of North Paravur to encourage households to take up organic farming.
A spokesman for the initiative said the programme had been drawn up with a view to producing vegetables in each household for the Onam season. ‘Jaiva Samruddhi’ or a plenitude of organically grown vegetables for Onam was inaugurated by award-winning farmer M.S. Radhakrishnan. Volunteers behind the programme distributed 2,400 vegetable saplings as part of the campaign.
Panchayat member K.M. Laiju, who led the efforts for the formation of the Jaiva Gramam campaign, said the tradition of agriculture in the State could be leveraged to bring prosperity to farmers.
With this in view, keen farmers will be given vegetable saplings, fertilisers, and agricultural implements at subsidised rates. Arrangements will also be made for participants to get opportunities to interact with veteran farmers.