KOCHI: With a firm resolve to provide Kochiites with organic vegetables this Onam, the District Administration is planning to launch a novel project ‘Zero Waste and Safe-to-Eat Vegetable’ on May. The project will be implemented as a joint initiative of the District Agri Horticulture Society (DAHS) and Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council (VFPCK), by utilising the funds from National Horticulture Board (NHB).The project will be carried out in association with Better Kochi Response Group and various residents’ associations in the city. A total of Rs 2 crore has already been handed over by the NHB for the project.“As per the project, seedlings of vegetables will be supplied to selected households with the help of various resident’s associations. Awareness will be given to residents on growing safe vegetables by effectively using kitchen waste as manure. Vegetable gardens can be set up on the terrace,” said Better Kochi Response Group secretary Sherly Chacko.She said each household would be given 20 seedlings of different vegetables. “This will be sufficient enough for a five-member family to meet their requirements and set up an average-sized vegetable garden on the terrace. The seedlings will be planted in nursery polyethylene bags filled with soil. The seedlings will be of good quality and organically developed by the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council (VFPCK),” she added.In the first phase, a total of 25,000 families will be supplied with the vegetable seedlings. “The total cost per household will come upto Rs 1,600 out of which DAHS will give Rs 800, that is 50 per cent of the total cost.“We have already received a good response from the residents. The public is worried about the harmful effects of consuming pesticide-filled vegetables and fruits coming from other states,” she added.Sherly said the VFPCK and the DAHS would give necessary training and tips to the residents on terrace farming. “It was with the help of residents associations, including Ernakulam District Residents’ Associations Apex Council (EDRAAC) and Residents’ Apex Council of Ernakulam (RACE) that we had collected the applications from the residents,” she said. Sherly added that ‘Zero Waste and Safe-to-Eat Vegetable’ that has already been launched in Thiruvanathapuram proved to be a huge success. Once it is launched here, Kochi will act as the satellite centre of the project. The project is all set to be launched in Kozhikode next year.
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