Helping poor farmers grow vegetables in parts of Lucknow

Approximately 2.5 lakh winter vegetable seedlings are being distributed to 1,000 poor farmers of Mall and Kakori blocks of Lucknow districts by CISH

The Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) Is helping poor farmers, who lack resources, grow vegetables by providing them seedlings. “Approximately 2.5 lakh winter vegetable seedlings are being distributed to 1,000 poor farmers of Mall and Kakori blocks of Lucknow districts to help them achieve nutritional security by growing their own vegetables,” said CISH director Shailendra Rajan.

Approximately 2.5 lakh winter vegetable seedlings are being distributed to 1,000 poor farmers of Mall and Kakori blocks of Lucknow districts by CISH (For Representation)

He said seedlings were being made available to them in their villages so that they could grow and understand the importance of nutri gardens. “On the basis of last year’s experiences, it can be expected that these farmers would produce vegetables worth ₹30 lakh. They are selling their extra produce in rural markets which provides them with a steady source of income,” Rajan said.

“In the past, nearly 30,000 broccoli seedlings were made available to farmers. These farmers are now interested in cultivating it due to its prevailing higher market price,” he added. “Because of its nutritional value and high concentration of bioactive compounds, broccoli is in high demand in Lucknow. It has also become common in villages,” Ranjan said.

“Presently farmers are not getting good returns from cauliflower and cabbage production during the peak season,” Rajan added. While providing inputs like grafted plants and plantlets to farmers as part of the “Amrit Bharat Mahotsav” programme recently, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) also raised awareness about food and nutrition for farmers among them.

In keeping with the theme, farmers and other participants learned about the health benefits of eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. His said fruits like mango, guava and others, which are sources of bioactive substances like flavonoids, polyphenolic acids and vitamins, lower the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart diseases.

For farmers in poor villages, ICAR-CISH is making efforts to supply high quality planting materials for various fruit and vegetable crops as well as assist them in implementing best management practices for higher yields, better product quality, and higher profits.

“Some of the most successful strategies include meetings between scientists and farmers, exposure visits, supply of critical inputs and sustained farmer encouragement with an emphasis on the youth and women,” Rajan said.