A. Surender Reddy, State consultant on Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihood in the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), said that the society had selected five mandals – Machareddi, Tadwai, Jukkal, Bichkunda and Gandhari in the district to economically empower SC and the ST farmers by encouraging them to undertake cultivation of different crops.
Addressing a gathering of members of Self Help Groups here on Saturday, he said that under the scheme, farmers would be trained and provided necessary inputs and implements to raise crops such as soya bean and vegetables, depending on their advantages.
For example, he said vegetable cultivation would be encouraged in Tadwai and soya bean in Machareddi mandal, depending on the soil health and other factors, he said.
The main idea behind this scheme is to show farmers a suitable way to earn profits by taking up crops which have good market, he said.
He also appealed to the women to participate in the Harita Haram programme, beginning on July 3. He suggested that they plant at least five saplings each on vacant land, wherever available. Seeking to reiterate the significance of greenery, he said the State was short of 12 per cent forest cover. With Harita Haram, forest cover can be increased to 33 per cent, he said.
