Minister for Agriculture V. S Sunil Kumar on Wednesday launched a comprehensive programme to increase production of pesticide-free vegetables by involving various government departments, institutions and school children.
The Minister inaugurated the programme by handing over kits containing saplings of varied vegetables to students of St Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Pattom, here. The Agriculture Department plans to provide 50 lakh kits to schoolchildren across the State before Onam. The department will also provide grow bags to children and public at an affordable prize under the scheme.
In his inaugural address, the Minister said the government had decided to double the prize money for students and educational institutions adopting the best agriculture practices to increase the yield.
School syllabus
To kindle farming interest in children, the State government had decided to introduce agriculture part of the school syllabus from the next academic year, he added.
He urged educational institutions to organise functions to felicitate former students who excelled in the agriculture field.
“Taking the present generation back to farming is the only solution for environmental degradation, addressing drought and growing health issues. Increasing farm productivity is the only viable answer to the three pressing problems people confront,” he said.
The State cannot progress until it tackles depletion in farm sector. “Food security can only assure the overall development of people and the society at large. The State government will take all steps to increase agriculture productivity,” he said
The government would partner with the Local Self Government Department, Irrigation, Cooperative Societies and Education Department to carry forward its agenda, he added.
K Muraleedharan, MLA, in his address said need of the hour was to inculcate a sense of pride in taking up farming. Farming should be given its place of pride in the society so that more people are tempted to agriculture activity, he said.
Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar and officials from the Agriculture Department attended the function.
