|
KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
|
 |
Homestead Farming
for Sustained Productivity
The KAU hosted the National Workshop on Homestead farming on March 6-7 at the
College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, which was organized under NATP on
Homestead Farming, Farming Systems Research Station, Sadanandapuram.
Kerala is a land of small holdings. Eighty four per cent of the operational
holdings of the state are below 0.5 ha. in size occupying more than 30% of the
total cultivable area of the state. Subdivision and fragmentation of the
holdings and mounting pressure on the scarce land resources for non agricultural
purposes, further reduced the size of these holdings. Land resources thus being
limited, Kerala's agriculture becomes unique in that it is concentrated in and
around the farmers' house.
Realizing the importance of homestead farming in the livelihood of small and
marginal farmers, a project "Analysis and Development of Homestead Farms of
Kerala and Port Blair - A Farmer Participatory Approach" was sanctioned under
the NATP, with a total cost of Rs.86.64 lakhs with 5 participatory centres
including FSRS, Sadanandapuram (lead centre), CPCRI, Kasaragod, RARS, Kumarakom,
College of Agri., Padannakkad and CARI, Port Blair.
Addressing the participants in a key note address, Dr. S. Edison, Director,
CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram stated that home gardens are resource islands that
provide a wide variety of goods for domestic consumption such as food,
beverages, construction materials, firewood and household supplies. No single
item found in the home-garden may be economically
significant, but when the contribution of all the plant products of the gardens
are considered, their value to households was quite considerable.
Dr. K.V. Peter, Vice-Chancellor inaugurated the workshop by lighting the traditional lamp. Dr. N. Mohanakumaran, former Director of Research, KAU, Dr.R Vikraman Nair, Director of Research, Dr. AI Jose, Director of Extension and Dr. A. Sukumara Varma, Associate Dean, College of Horticulture addressed the participants.