The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Panchayat urged to revive paddy fields

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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Panchayat urged to revive paddy fields

Staff Reporter

Instil love for farming in children, says Agriculture Minister

— Photo: S. Gopakumar

Greening the campus: Students of Government Upper Primary School, Kudappanakkunnu, planting saplings in connection with the launch of an agricultural project in the city on Tuesday as Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs M. Vijayakumar and Minister for Agriculture Mullakkara Ratnakaran watch.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Agriculture Mullakkara Ratnakaran on Tuesday urged the Kudappanakkunu grama panchayat to revive the paddy fields in its locality and to kindle a love for farming in the minds of children.

Mr. Ratnakaran was speaking at Government Upper Primary School, Kudappanakkunnu, after inaugurating a vegetable farming project at the school. He also issued identity cards to members of the ‘Karshika Karma Sena,’ a project launched by the panchayat’s Krishibhavan to address the acute shortage of agricultural labour in the region.

While referring to Kerala’s dependency on neighbouring States for vegetables, Mr. Ratnakaran alleged that most of the vegetables that reached the State were pesticide laden. “Unfortunately, we do not have the technology to ascertain the amount of pesticide in them,” he said. “The situation can be addressed only by instilling a love for farming in the minds of the future generation.”

According to Mr. Ratnakaran, even the student-teacher relationship in schools had soured owing to a lack of love for farming. Farming had a humanising effect on those who engaged in it, he said. “Parents should take the lead in instilling a love for farming in the minds of the students,” he added.

The Agricultural Minister recalled a “friendship-chain” that prevailed in villages in olden days that effectively addressed some of the basic requirements of the people. “It was a unique marketing system that relied on mutual trust and friendship wherein the residents of a village shared the fruits of their labour with the neighbours.”

However, the proportion of people turning away from agriculture was growing. If this trend continued, the State’s agricultural production would be wiped out in the next 10 to 20 years.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs M. Vijayakumar who presided over the meeting described it as a “shame” to rely on neighbouring States for vegetables. At a time when there was a lot of meaningless debate over the content of the Class VII textbook, the focus of discussion should have been ideally agriculture and students, he said.

The Karshika Karma Sena’ launched by the panchyat has 25 agricultural technicians who are trained in using modern agricultural devices such as the power tiller, brush cutter, soil digger and sprayer. “The karma sena was started as a means to combat the intense labour shortage in the region,” said C.L. Mini, Agricultural Officer, Kudappanakkunnu panchayat. “The cost of cultivation can be brought down significantly by using agricultural technicians,” she added. The technicians assist interested clients right from selecting a plot for farming to marketing the produce.

The inaugural function was also attended by B. Sudhakaran Nair, president, Kudappanakkunnu grama panchayat; B. Subhash, vice-president; and K.K. Gangadharan, director, Department of Agriculture.

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