Sustainable Village project gets order

KOCHI: Clearing apprehensions, the State government has issued an order regarding the Sustainable Agri Village project framed for sustainable development of villages, thereby, making the villagers self-reliant. The project aims at ensuring poverty alleviation in rural agriculture sector and production of nutritious food.Though the government had announced the project which was formulated as per the directions given by Union Government in the XIIth Plan, an order in this regard was not issued as it lacked the much needed coordination of different departments. Kumbalangi, Chellanam and Kumbalam are the villages selected for implementation of the project in the first phase in the state.The project is being implemented in association with various government agencies including State Horticulture Society, Coconut Development Boats, Animal Husbandry Board, and Krishi Vigyan Kendra. The project aims at making villagers self-reliant in meeting their needs by producing fruits, vegetables, milk and eggs within the villages themselves.Kumbalangi panchayat has already launched some components of the project. Formation of Federation of Coconut Farmers, cultivation of spices as inter crop on coconut farms were  the projects proposed under Sustainable Agri Village. Other components include schemes for rainwater harvesting and milk production.Homestead, a complete way of agrarian life, is the another highlight of the project. “Homesteads will be a major attraction especially of Kumbalangi which has already attained fame as a model tourism village,” said Sivadathan, convener of Federation of Coconut Farmers, who is also the president of Kumbalangi Model Tourism Society. “Our aim is to set up 100 homesteads in Kumbalangi before the next tourism season,” he said.“Now that the government has showed the green signal, the panchayat will organise a meeting with the officials of different departments and stake holders on May 26 at which other components of the project will be finalised,” said Kumbalangi panchayat president Usha Pradeep.The schemes for rainwater harvesting is expected to be a great relief for  a coastal village like Chellanam where drinking water shortage is acute.