The Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) is organising a two-day seminar on ‘Spices for urban horticulture’ to equip the urban/periurban population produce safe-to-eat spices.
The move assumes significance in the wake of reports on excessive pesticide residue in spices and condiments procured from the market.
Space scarcity
Enabling the periurban population, which has only limited land available for farming, and urban families, which do not have cultivable land, produce spices required for the family will be the most effective method to ensure safe food, feels the university.
The seminar, being organised under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture on January 5 and 6 at the Model Nursery on Spices on the KAU main campus, Vellanikkara, will be inaugurated by C.N. Jayadevan, MP. Minister for Agriculture V.S. Sunil Kumar will address the participants.
Farmers participating in the seminar will be provided with technologies for growing spices such as black pepper, ginger, turmeric, chilli, coriander, mint, curry leaf, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and garcinia on terraces/front yards, besides planting materials, farm inputs and guidelines for cultivation. Hands-on training on various modern technologies would be imparted to the participants.
