The Kudumbashree district mission, Kozhikode, is planning to expand its foray into farming with the launch of 8,000 community farming groups by the first day of the Malayalam month of Chingam.
The campaign, titled Samruddhi, is being conducted in association with the Kozhikode District Panchayat. P.C. Kavitha, district mission coordinator, told the media on Saturday that efforts would be made to convert barren land into cultivable land and promote organic farming. Activities will also be organised to attract youngsters to farming.
Ms. Kavitha said only 10% of the 4,29,770 families who were part of the 27,751 neighbourhood groups in Kudumbashree were actively engaged in farming. “The campaign aims to set up 30% new joint liability groups, with at least four to 10 farmers as members and convert at least 10 acres within a community development society to cultivable land. At least half of the inactive groups will be activated,” she said.
District Panchayat President Babu Parassery said T.P. Ramakrishnan, Minister for Labour and Employment, would open the campaign at Cheruvannur on July 31. A trade fair, seminars, launch of paddy producing groups, and get-together of women farmers too will be held.