Kerala - Kozhikode   

Panchayat’s bid to ensure food security

KOZHIKODE: The Karassery grama panchayat in the district has chalked out a major project to achieve self-sufficiency in vegetable production.

The ambitious programme was among the schemes projected by the panchayat as part of its third anniversary observance.

Karassery grama panchayat president V.K. Vinod said here on Thursday that vegetable cultivation would be encouraged at different levels in the panchayat so that it was available locally and cheaper too. A sizable quantity of the commodity was now brought from outside.

Side by side, a programme had been chalked out to popularise poultry farming at the grassroots level as part of increasing food security and sustenance.

“The vegetable gardens will be nurtured in schools as part of the panchayat’s school education project. The panchayat will direct schools to grow vegetables on 50 cents of land. The panchayat has provided the seeds to the schools here,” Mr. Vinod said.

The more than 46 Kudumbasree units in the panchayat would be provided seeds to grow vegetables besides agriculturists and housewives encouraged to take up vegetable farming. Contests would be organised between schools, classes and students besides housewives for the best vegetable garden as a means to encourage the initiative, he said.

Also on the anvil was a scheme to grow poultry with the objective of meeting the egg and meat requirements of the panchayat within two years.

As many as 10 chickens would be distributed to more than 500 households. Feed would be provided by the local body. Three wards would combine to have a centre for carrying out inoculation and disease prevention measures, Mr. Vinod said.

Steps were being taken to develop Anganwadis as health sub-centres, he added.

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