Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has stressed the potential of universities in encouraging youngsters to take up farming. He was speaking on Friday while formally launching the Harithalayam project spearheaded by the University of Kerala to increase the green cover on its Karyavattom campus and affiliated colleges and to inculcate practical knowledge of agriculture among students.
Participating in the inaugural function through videoconferencing, Mr. Vijayan lauded the university for taking the lead in encouraging students to become active partners in the greening mission. Besides promoting farming, the endeavour was also likely to spur research on agricultural practices. Such initiatives would ultimately boost farm productivity and introduce new practices in the sector, both of which could enhance farming income, he said.
Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel who inaugurated a biodiversity centre said that education in a holistic sense could not be confined to classrooms, but must also take place on campuses as well as the fields. University Vice Chancellor V.P. Mahadevan Pillai presided. Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran and Forest Minister K. Raju also took part.
Through the Harithalayam project, the university aimed at commencing farming in fallow land. While 20 acres of the campus would be utilised for paddy farming, 5 acres would be used for vegetable and tuber crop cultivation. Besides, 5,000 fruit saplings and 1,000 coconut saplings will also be planted. A plot of 5 acres has been earmarked to create a garden to cultivate rare plant species indigenous to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.