Climate change posing challenges to farmers, says Kerala Agriculture Minister

By PTI

KOCHI: Climate change is seen as an even bigger menace than warfare and it additionally poses challenges to farmers in the present day, Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad has mentioned.

Speaking at an occasion held right here on Saturday, he known as the weather-based insurance coverage launched by the Spices Board for small cardamom as an encouraging initiative.

Prasad offered Spices Board’s Small Cardamom Productivity Awards and distributed weather-based crop insurance coverage coverage to the beneficiaries.

“Climate change and global warming are more threatening than war and that’s the biggest challenge for the farmers today. We should be more serious about climate change and the weather-based insurance introduced by the Spices Board for small cardamom is an encouraging initiative in shielding the farmers from such catastrophe,” Prasad mentioned.

The minister additionally steered that the farmers follow and undertake progressive farming strategies like carbon impartial agriculture for meals security in cultivation.

Prasad distributed the small cardamom productiveness awards for the 12 months 2019-20 and 2020-21 in addition to the weather-based crop insurance coverage insurance policies, a novel insurance coverage scheme launched by Spices Board to offer safety for the crop in opposition to weather-caused calamities, to small cardamom famers.

The perform additionally witnessed felicitation of Jomy Mathew, winner of the IPC award for the most effective pepper farmer from the nation for 2020.

A G Thankappan, Chairman of the Spices Board, who presided over the perform, expressed considerations over the worth and market fluctuations that have an effect on the farmers adversely.

He famous that the Board has been striving to assist the farmers via all doable means like the brand new climate based mostly insurance coverage scheme launched on pilot foundation in Idukki for small cardamom.

“With an aim to make India a premier supplier of cardamom, the Spices Board has been implementing programmes like planting material production through certified nurseries in farms, setting up irrigation facilities, purchasing and installing cardamom dryer, washer, cleaner etc,” Thankappan mentioned.

Congratulating the award winners, D Sathiyan IFS, the Secretary of Spices Board, mentioned regardless of the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic and adjustments in climate situations, the cardamom growers have made a outstanding progress in manufacturing and made appreciable contribution to the export of spices.

Idukki MP, Dean Kuriakose, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, MLA T J Vinod amongst others participated within the occasion.

The Board constituted the cardamom productiveness awards to honour and encourage the progressive cardamom farmers, who’ve achieved excessive ranges of productiveness.

A particular award can be constituted for the very best productiveness within the natural class. Winners are chosen from the nominations acquired by a committee constituted for this goal.