The Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) is set to tap the new-found interest in backyard vegetable farming by facilitating constant interactions between experts and the new entrants into farming through social media.
The move comes in the wake of the VFPCK distributing over 25,000 basic vegetable ‘challenge’ kits of ₹250 each across the State since lockdown. The kit comprising five grow bags and a smattering of seeds is fit for small landholdings of two to three cents.
“We have asked our district managers to create WhatsApp groups for sustaining the interest in farming beyond the initial enthusiasm. The interest for backyard vegetable farming has definitely soared during the lockdown period. There is also a realisation of the need for maximum utilisation of available land. However, the exact outcome of this will be known in a month or two once it is time for harvesting,” said A.K. Sherief, CEO, VFPCK.
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Expert advice
The VFPCK had collected the contact numbers of those who had purchased the vegetable kits and those found interested in long-term perusal of farming are being added into these groups. Besides, local experts are also being added so that the doubts of members regarding farming are addressed promptly. Visits to agriculture institutes for familiarisation with new farming technologies and ideas are also on the anvil.
The idea is to take the interest in farming to the next level, including use of fertilizers and effective waste management. Mr. Sherief said that sustaining long-term interest in backyard farming was not possible only through subsidies. For this a deep-rooted love for farming should be kindled in people, besides inculcating in them lessons of self-reliance .
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Fruits next
In the next phase, the VFPCK aims at shifting their focus to cultivation of fruits by distributing indigenously developed seeds and plants.