Government offices, educational institutions, households, and private enterprises have taken to vegetable cultivation in a big way over the last couple of years. Survey Bhavan at Vazhuthacaud is among the lot that has a success tale to narrate with nearly half an acre of land on its premises being turned into a full-fledged vegetable garden.
It has been only three months since the initiative was launched at the office with the support and guidance of the Department of Agriculture. “When this new building came up, construction waste, plastic waste and all kinds of stuff were dumped in the compound itself. It was a sore sight for those who came to the office and for us employees. So we decided to put the land to better use and vegetable farming was the first option before us,” says D. Jayachandra Babu, first grade surveyor with the office.
A 10-member team, Krishikkoottam, comprising the employees was constituted to coordinate the farming activities. The employees took it upon themselves to tend to the plants after office hours and on holidays.
With two wells in the compound, water was never a problem. They have already had a good harvest of red amaranthus, tomato, brinjal, long beans, lady’s finger, chilli, snake gourd, bitter gourd, yellow cucumber and ivy gourd. Banana cultivation has also been started on the premises.
“This comes under the Department’s Vegetable Development Programme which propagates organic, pesticide-free farming. Minimum area required for the project is 50 cents and 27 such projects were given approval during the current financial year. Survey Bhavan was given Rs. 46,600 from the department and thanks to the interest and enthusiasm of the staff, including the Survey and Land Records Director Mithra T., the initiative has been very successful,” says P. Prabha, deputy director of Agriculture, Principal Agricultural Office, Kudappanakkunnu. In fact Survey Bhavan garden has been chosen as the best institution-level farm in the district.
“We have done business to the tune of Rs. 15,000 till now. The products are bought by employees themselves. The best thing is after we started the initiative, we are getting enquiries from various other institutions nearby,” Jayachandra Babu adds.
