CUSAT’s Agricultural Initiative ‘Idle to Ideal’ Inaugurated

KOCHI:
“The Department of Agriculture is proud that CUSAT, the University of Science and Technology, has come forward with the initiative to utilise fallow land in its campus for cultivation at a time when people nurture the misconception that only certain areas of land could be used for cultivation”, said V.S. Sunilkumar, Minister for Agriculture.
He was delivering the inaugural speech after planting a sapling near the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research where the National Service Scheme, CUSAT, in association with the Kalamassery Krishi Bhavan, has initiated ‘Idle to Ideal – through campus agriculture’ under the ‘Subhiksha Keralam’ project of the State Agriculture Department. The Minister instructed the officials of his department to take this as a prestigious project and ensure every possible support to make it a success. The Minister said that the past four years since 2016 have beenyears of crop failures caused by natural calamities. However, in spite of the crisis, vegetable production in the state has increased from 6.5 lakh tonnes to 15 lakh tonnes. Paddy production has also gone up to 3000 tonnes. He added that it was a matter of pride that 93% of the vegetables produced were non-toxic. “If the nature is favourable, we will become self- sufficient in vegetable production this year itself”, he added.

Vice Chancellor Dr K.N. Madhusoodanan said in his presidential address that now two acres of land has been cleared for cultivation and soon another five acres
would be made available at different parts of the campus. SeemaKannan, Municipal Chairperson, Kalamassery, Dr. P.G. Sankaran, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr.Meera V., Registrar, T. Dileep Kumar, Principal Agricultural Officer, Bincy Abraham, Assistant Director(Agriculture), SreebalaAjith, Agricultural Officer, Kalamassery and ‘Idle to Ideal’ programme Co-ordinator Dr.Sangeetha K. Prathap spoke at the function.