Every school campus in the State will soon sport a jackfruit tree as part of a government-sponsored project to increase the green cover and biodiversity.
Jackfruit saplings would be planted in all schools in connection with the Environment Day celebrations on June 5, Education Minister C. Ravindranath said on Thursday.
Inaugurating a seminar organised in connection with a jackfruit festival in Thrissur, Mr. Ravindranath called for a revival of traditional crops and ethnic food culture to create a healthy society.
He highlighted the need to restore agricultural biodiversity and traditional farming practices. Underlining the need to view agriculture as a culture rather than a livelihood or commercial activity, he said moves were on to include farming in the school curriculum. The government, he said, had issued directions to ensure at least 33% green cover on every school campus.
In his presidential address, Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar said moves were on to conserve all traditional crops and promote value addition of agricultural produce. Farmers would benefit from the move to expand the market for domestic agricultural produce.
Director, State Horticulture Mission, J. Justin Mohan, Thrissur Mayor Ajitha Jayarajan and Director of Agriculture A.M. Sunilkumar were among those who spoke.
