Kerala Agriculture department rolls out Stay at home, harvest vegetables scheme

Kerala agriculture department has come up with a new scheme called ‘Stay at home, harvest vegetables’ as a productive way of spending one’s valuable time during the lockdown days and beyond. The project is being implemented as directed by the Chief Minister.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala agriculture department has come up with a new scheme to engage people into vegetable farming, even as they stay at home through the lockdown days.

As people are completely restricted to their houses due to the stringent lockdown measures as part of preventing the spread of COVID 19, many find it boring to stay at home.

Most people claim that they have nothing much to do other than fiddling with their mobile phones.

The agriculture department’s ‘Veettilirikkam Vilavedukkam’ (Stay at home and harvest) programme is a healthy and productive way of spending one’s valuable time during the lockdown days and beyond.

Through this initiative meant to encourage vegetable farming during lockdown days, the department is all set to give away vegetable seeds and seedlings for free to as many as 50 lakh families in the State.

The project is being implemented as directed by the Chief Minister.

The government hopes that inculcating a habit of growing vegetables in our own backyards can help in reducing our dependence on other States for our vegetable requirements, to a large extent.

Under the project ‘Veetilirikkam Vilavedukkam’, already on in Thiruvananthapuram district, VFPCK is to distribute two and a half lakh seeds.

The seeds of spinach, tomatoes, bitter gourd, ladies’ finger and beans varieties would be made available. The seeds would be distributed for free along with the free rice being distributed through the Public Distribution System outlets.

The number of families benefitted through the project can also be ensured in this manner. One can also contact the Krishi Bhavan near their residence to avail free seeds.

Seed distribution on this project has already begun in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode districts.

About 2.5 lakh seeds are to be distributed in the Thiruvananthapuram district itself. All other districts are to start seed distribution from tomorrow.

The seeds and seedlings would be distributed through government volunteers, Asha workers, Kudumbasree members, and ward councilors too.