P.K. Ramachandran Nair, eminent agro-forester from University of Florida, USA, has suggested the need for developing agroforestry systems and practices that are resilient and adaptable to the climatic extremes that the State has been witnessing in the recent times.
Apart from economic benefits from diverse products, bamboos played a major role in ecorestoration of the lands hit by recurrent climatic vagaries, he said.
He was addressing the 21-day ICAR sponsored Winter School on ‘Agroforestry for Climate Change Mitigation, Biodiversity Conservation and Resilience in Agroecological Systems: Current Trends and Future Strategies’ organised by the College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, at Mannuthy on Tuesday.
Speaking after inaugurating the Winter School programme, K.V. Peter, former Vice Chancellor, KAU, noted that bamboos had a great potential for integration in the farmlands and fragile eco-regions of the State both in terms of economic and ecological security.
Agroforestry prospects for Kerala should largely focus on bamboos, especially edible bamboos such as Dendrocalamus asper, Dr. Peter said.
Dr. Kunhamu, professor of Agroforestry and the course director of the Winter School programme, said that the agro-climate of Kerala permitted the cultivation of diverse types of bamboos ranging from widely distributed Bamboosa bambos to commercially valuable species such as Dendrocalamus stocksii .
Poor awareness
But farmer awareness of the potential of bamboo were grossly poor.
Bamboos offered excellent opportunity for the revitalisation of traditional home gardens.
The recent floods in Kerala had caused considerable threat to the life and property of a large number of people. While the major issues in the midland and coastal regions were flood related, the hill tracts witnessed massive landslips and soil erosion. Bamboos were excellent for preventing soil erosion and could effectively prevent landslips, the speakers said.
Vidyasagaran K., Dean, College of Forestry, welcomed the gathering and P. Indira Devi, Director of Research, KAU, presided over the function.
Selected young scientists from various Universities/ICAR institutes in the country will be participating in this 21-day Winter School.
