The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has kick-started a new farming challenge among government organisations towards food security in the State.

The model initiative includes farming of tubers and pulses along with vegetables in an area of around 3-acre barren land in its premises of residential complex here. The massive drive assumes significance in the wake of discussions on urgent need of self-reliance in food production in the State.

The State Agriculture Minister VS Sunil Kumar launched the farming by planting ginger saplings.

Carried out with the technical support of the Ernakulam Krishi Vigyan Kendra of the CMFRI, the initiative is aimed at intensifying the drive to achieve self-reliance in producing safe food in the State and setting a model for other government institutions, said A Gopalakrishnan, Director of CMFRI.

Priority was given to crops such as tubers and pulses as they could act as alternatives to survive during the time of famine as that was the case in the past. Pulses are cultivated in the background that Kerala is completely depending on other States for its vegetable protein requirement, he said, adding that these kinds of farming models initiated under the aegis of government institutions would send a positive message to the public in such a way encouraging them to take up farming. The harvested crops will be distributed through the Farm Shoppe of the KVK located at the CMFRI.

CMFRI’s KVK commenced a helpline though which experts would be providing guidance in farming, including aquaculture and animal rearing, to other organisations.

The Minister has also requested KVK to design and demonstrate a working model of the mini rice mill required for each paddy field. The major crisis faced by the medium paddy farmers in the State is the lack of such mini rice mills. He also said that efforts to take up farming as a livelihood should be intensified to face the post-Covid period.

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