Kerala - Kochi   

Rooting for non-toxic vegetables

KOCHI: If you live in a house in a five-cent homestead, and you have some open space to spare, what do you do? You build a lawn of Mexican grass or put up dozens of potted flowers, of course.

But, instead, if you use the tiny plot of land for raising organic vegetables such as eggplants, lady’s finger, bitter gourd and spinach, it will take care of 10 to 20 per cent of your vegetable needs a year — that too, non-toxic, pesticide-free, chemical-free vegetables. That is, non-carcinogenic vegetables. And, if your house sits on a larger piece of land, say 10 cents, it could take care of most of your vegetable needs.

Remember, a sizeable number of vegetables available on the market in Kerala — imported from other States — are toxic. These are poison masquerading as vegetables. Food turned toxic by the heavy use of pesticides, chemical fertilisers and preservatives, kill a large number of people every year. This could be checked to a large extent by eating only organically-grown food, better still, by producing organic food in your own yard for your family’s consumption.

But, in a State hard-pressed for land, especially in the cities, producing organic food at home could be a tall order. Enter organic micro-farming. Or, simply, growing vegetables and fruits in the little piece of land around your house or even on your terrace using only organic manures and natural pest-repellents.

Organic Kerala, an NGO co-promoted by the Thrikkakara Grama Panchayat Cooperative Hospital, is now encouraging organic micro-farming, which suits both urban families and rural households. Organic Kerala, which is holding an organic commodity fair in Kochi on April 15 to 18, will promote micro-farming by highlighting its advantages and guiding prospective farmers. The seminars to be held as part of the fair will focus on organic micro-farming, revival of the cultivation and consumption of Kerala’s own fruits which are near-extinct and promoting the State’s indigenous varieties of rice such as Pokkali.

Former High Court judge K.K. Narendran and M.M. Abbas, the organisers of the fair, told reporters on Thursday that Kerala was in for a huge food security crisis as well as a threat to its food safety.

This could be tackled in part by promoting organic micro-farming and reviving the cultivation of Kerala’s own ethnic fruits. They said a large variety of organic food from South India would be on display at the fair. It would also spotlight the State’s ethnic cooking and the traditional diet that ensured healthy living and longevity.

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