In a bid to motivate more people in the state to pick up organic farming and eventually grow their own food, the Kerala government has been vociferously introducing different agricultural programmes and schemes under its ambitious ‘Haritha Keralam’ Mission.
In fact, we at The Better India, have covered many such stories where ordinary people in Kerala, with no prior inclination or background knowledge about any kind of farming practices, are now successfully growing different varieties of food crops in their backyards, and even making a lucrative business out of it. You can read some of the stories here.
Now, the Kochi-based Vegetable and Fruits’ Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) has collaborated with the state government in a novel initiative, which will encourage more citizens to not just invest in organic farming, but more importantly, consume fresh, homegrown, and pesticide-free produces.
Through the ‘Grow Your Own Food’ (GYOF) programme, VFPCK aims to help interested households by setting up Smart Kitchen Gardens on their rooftops and has already partnered with city-based WRENCH Solutions, which will aid the organisation to source and distribute high-quality seedlings.
VFPCK has also recently kickstarted a seedling production unit under a budget of ₹10 crore for the same purpose.
The ‘Smart Kitchen Garden’ will reportedly comprise of coir pith-based grow bags filled with compost instead of soil. These bags are being touted by the concerned authorities to be more productive than their regular counterparts sold in the market.
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“Polycarbonate greenhouse sheets are used which offer more durability. They can last up to 10 years, and also have an additional UV filter coating, which protects the plants from the excessive heat. For ₹95,000, WRENCH will provide all facilities, including the crops and panels,” said K Varghese Daniel, who is the CEO of WRENCH Solutions, to The New Indian Express.
The first-of-its-kind concept in the state is expected to be piloted in Kochi first, and will subsequently be launched across Kerala.
(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)