Call to focus on upland farming

With an objective of increasing paddy production in the State, Kerala Agricultural University is laying thrust on upland farming.

Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) Vice Chancellor P. Rajendran said that paddy production can be augmented with scientific farming practices even with currently available area.

Inaugurating a training programme on upland farming at the Directorate of Extension, Mannuthy, the Vice Chancellor said willpower was the most wanted ingredient in farming.

“We can resume farming in unused paddy fields and barren uplands. We can introduce second and third crops where only one crop is raised and we can use more productive varieties and productivity enhancement techniques. All these steps together will trigger a three-fold increase in production, which is so significant in today’s scenario. But the basic ingredient is the will to do it. Fortunately, the State government is offering support and we, agricultural professionals and the farming community, should strive to make it,” he said.

KAU Director of Extension S. Estelita, in her presidential address, said current paddy production in Kerala can meet the requirements of two months only and rice for the rest ten months is imported from other States.

“The necessity to enhance production and productivity is obvious. Upland farming will help us realise the importance and relevance of paddy cultivation and enthuse the younger generation. The encouraging response to this training programme is a positive sign,” she said.

Principal Agricultural Officer A. A. Prasad said the Department of Agriculture has initiated steps to spread upland farming in 500 ha in Thrissur district and the KAU training programme has come as a shot in the arm for the initiative.

ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) district project director V. S. Roy, Deputy Director of Agriculture Sreedevi, Thrissur Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) head P.S. Geethakutty, ATIC (Agricultural Technology Information Centre) head Sreevalsan J. Menon and training coordinator Smitha Baby spoke. More than 100 farmers and 55 agriculture officersattended the programme.