The Federation of Residents Associations Trivandrum (FRAT) is joining hands with the Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA) and the Nanniyode grama panchayat Krishi Bhavan to bring pesticide-free vegetables and other edibles to the city.
A press release issued here on Wednesday by FRAT and CISSA said a joint effort would be launched on Friday as a precursor to the Nanniyode panchayat’s ‘Organic Vilambara Chantha’ (announcement market) on March 3, with an expo in front of the Trivandrum Hotel, near Statue Junction on Friday. The expo, to have on display organic vegetables, honey, fruits, and other organic eatables, will be on from 3 p.m. on Friday. It would have more than 50 varieties of organic farm products, including some vegetables rarely seen in cities.
S. Jayakumar, farm officer, Nanniyode grama panchayat, said the panchayat had already made a name for itself in organic vegetable cultivation. The total commercial farming population is 20 per cent of the population, of which 10 per cent is into organic farming, her said.
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“Efforts are on to make the grama panchayat fully organic through the setting up of a variety of organic farm clubs in the locality.
FRAT office-bearers said the federation was supporting the organic market as it would enable the city’s residents, many of whom were into organic farming, to get in touch with the organic farmers of Nanniyode and to further efforts in this regard.
“Awareness on organic vegetables and fruits is already there. The issue is availability of the same,” they said. C. Suresh Kumar, general secretary, CISSA, said the market would offer the city’s residents to network with organic farmers and farm officials from Nanniyode, so that they could also try out innovative measures while cultivating pesticide-free vegetables in their kitchen gardens. CISSA was extending technical support to the Nanniyode panchayat for effective organic farming initiatives and would offer support to FRAT as well to spread awareness on healthy food habits in the city, he said.
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“It is expected that the efforts will help protect efforts aimed at sustenance of organic farming and its promotion,” Mr. Suresh Kumar said. Further details on the market could be had over telephone number: 94472 05913, the press release added.
Organic farm clubs to be set up
Focus on sustained organic farming efforts