Besides producing vegetables domestically, NAWO-DHAN seeks to encourage youth to take up farming on Kerala’s huge reserve of land.
Published Jul 20, 2024 | 3:00 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 20, 2024 | 3:00 PM
The land with basic infrastructure shall be apportioned as multiples of blocks of 10 acres each and can be made available to the farmers for commercial cultivation of high-value crops, adopting a process similar to resource allocation in an IT Park.
The Kerala government has launched an ambitious project, which could bridge the yawning gap between the demand and domestic production of vegetables in the state.
Besides producing vegetables domestically, the scheme, NAWO-DHAN — abbreviation for New Agriculture Wealth Opportunities: Driving Horticulture and Agribusiness Networking —, also envisages encouraging youngsters to take up farming on the state’s huge reserve of government land.
Kerala currently requires approximately 30 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of vegetables annually. The state’s production, however, stands at 17.24 lakh MT per year, necessitating the import of 13.76 lakh MT from neighbouring states, including Tamil Nadu.
The new project is designed to close this gap, enhancing food security and self-sufficiency.
An order issued by the Agricultural Department said NAWO-DHAN would function as a facilitator connecting the landholders and the Farmer Producer Organisations, Krishikoottams, Kudumbashree units, Self-Help Groups, Startups, and youth groups.
“The government is pleased to accord sanction in principle for the project titled “New Agriculture Wealth Opportunities-Driving Horticulture and Agribusiness Networking (NAWO-DHAN) for leveraging unutilised/underutilised land resources in Kerala for commercial farming practices that include horticulture, hydroponics, protected cultivation, precision-farming, hi-tech inter-cropping, mushroom cultivation, apiculture, crop husbandry, and allied sectors,” the order said.
The initiative holds the potential to transform Kerala’s agricultural landscape, fostering a new generation of farmers and reducing dependence on external sources for essential produce.
The success of the project could pave the way for similar efforts across India, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and food security nationwide.
Initially, unutilised arable government and public sector undertakings’ land would be selected for implementing the project.
“The availability of fallow land, intercropped area, suitable climate, soil fertility status, electricity, water, and resources’ availability and logistics will be the different criteria used for prioritising the cultivable land,” the government order said.
“The land with basic infrastructure shall be apportioned as multiples of blocks of 10 acres each and can be made available to the farmers for commercial cultivation of high-value crops, adopting a process similar to resource allocation in an IT Park,” it added.
The farmer groups, the landholder (including departments/PSUs/private institutions), and the consumer (public) stand to benefit from this matchmaking process with commensurate returns.
Efforts to saturate NAWO-DHAN farmers with government schemes, technical support, subsidies, professional guidance, crop insurance, etc. shall be made by the department.
Agriculture Department Special Secretary Prasanth N said on social media that the Kerala government’s most ambitious project to date, NAWO-DHAN, is aimed at transforming the state’s farming sector.
“We are thrilled to advance with the NAWO-DHAN project, a groundbreaking initiative designed to revolutionise agriculture in Kerala! This project aims to rejuvenate fallow and underutilised lands through the implementation of high-tech and high-value cropping techniques,” he stated.
G Manikandan Nair, a farmer, and Karshakasree awardee, has a three-acre farm in Thiruvananthapuram. “Earlier, I was farming a single crop. But often it ends up in loss due to various factors like calamities etc. So, now I’m into multiple cropping, so that I can minimise the loss” he told South First.
Farmers usually don’t receive full subsidies provided by the government for various reasons. This project seems to be hopeful and more awareness should be made of it.
He also said that when the government is providing its land to the farmers, it should be with them at least for 10 years so that the farmers would have the confidence to grow new crops and many youngsters will take up farming as a profession.
The farmer also said that the project which aims at high-tech farming should also encourage the byproduct facilities.
“Kerala has a total cropped area of 25.23 lakh hectares of which more than 85 percent is covered under perennial crops and only 15 percent is utilised for food crops,” K Rashid, a Malappuram-based farmer told South First.
“While the project presents exciting possibilities, it also faces several challenges,” he said.
“High-tech farming techniques will be essential to maximise yield and efficiency on the available land. Additionally, attracting young people to farming requires addressing barriers such as initial investment costs, access to modern agricultural technology, and training,” he continued.
“The main problem that the farmers face is nurturing the land because the landscape in Kerala varies from region to region. The second issue is bringing their products to the local markets. When the government is involved in allotting the fallow land for agriculture, it is sure that in the next 10 years, the state will produce the required crops for its use,” he opined.
It is estimated that 1,03,334 hectares of fallow land are available in the state, of which 53,914 hectares are classified as current fallow and 49,420 hectares as permanent fallow.
Kerala Agro Business Company (KABCO), established by the Kerala government in August 2023, is assigned as the Special Purpose Vehicle for the implementation of NAWO-DHAN under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture Development & Farmers’ Welfare.
KABCO will liaise with various stakeholders to inventorise cultivable land available with various departments, farms, state and central PSUs, private individuals and institutions, etc., and act as an aggregator for developing the land into high-tech agricultural farms of various sizes.
Farmer groups will be engaged through Service Level Agreements (SLA) treating “Farming as a Service” and no transfer of any interest in the land concerned is required.
The KABCO will also develop forward linkages, including export-market integration, etc. on commercial terms such that there is business-intelligence-driven cropping, ensuring that production is sufficiently diversified and is in line with the market demand.
It is to be noted that the KABCO already operates the Vegetable Agro Park at Vattavada in Idukki, Banana-Honey Agro Park in Thrissur, Coconut Trading and Marketing Hub Agro Park in Kozhikode, coconut manufacturing facility Agro Park at Koothali in Kozhikode and Mango Agro Park in Palakkad.
(Edited by Majnu Babu)
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