The district unit of the State Kudumbashree Mission has substantially expanded its farming activities ahead of Onam.
Out of a total of 7,284 Joint Liability Groups registered under the mission, 4,322 JLGs are engaged in cultivation of paddy, banana, tubers, and other vegetables in the district, Kudumbashree sources said on Friday.
The total area under cultivation this season is over 3,000 acres with paddy accounting for 417 acres; banana 1,114 acres; tubers 814 acres; vegetables 566 acres, and 182 acres under other crops. The JLGs have also diversified into organic cultivation of vegetables and fruits with a total of more than 400 acres coming under organic farming. A total of 3,275 women farmers under 655 JLGs are engaged in organic farming activities, the sources added.
Among the crops being cultivated this season is passion fruit, the spread of which has been remarkable in recent times. Nearly 10,000 vines have been planted so far. The spread of acreage under vegetable and banana cultivation under the Kudumbashree mission has encouraged the authorities to launch plant nurseries. By the end of February, the district had 19 plant nurseries.
In another significant development, the area under the fallow land-less village programme has gone up to 690 acres in the district.
The mission has also launched an agri therapy programme under which farming activities have been launched in 29 schools. As many as 20 schools are in different stages of harvesting their crops.