Program Title:
‘Food and Nutritional security and Livelihood Enhancement of marginal farming communities through interventions in Agriculture with a 4 C approach of conservation, cultivation, consumption and commercialization-in bio-resource management’
WAYANAD, THE PROGRAM SITE
Wayanad, one of the backward districts of Kerala, lies between north latitudes 11° 26’ 28” and 11° 58’ 22” and east latitudes 75° 46’ 38” and 76° 26’ 11” and is situated at a height of 700 to 2100m above sea level. Of the total 2131 Sq. Km of area, 37% of land (788 Sq. Km) is covered by forest. And1142 Sq. Km of the total area (54%) is used for agriculture. Basically Wayanad has an agrarian economy with cash crops viz., coffee, tea, cardamom, rubber and pepper dominating the sector and of which, coffee takes the lead. Wayanad has the largest popu-lation of tribal communities in the state and the major communities inhabiting the district are Paniya (44.77%), Kuruma (17.51%), Kurichya (17.38%), Kattunaikka (9.93%), Adiya (7.10%) and Urali Kuruma (2.69%).
WHY THIS PROGRAM?
Unprecedented incidences of erosion of biodiversity, declining purchasing power and economic depri-vation of the of the marginalized communities, paradigm shift from subsistence farming to cash crop farming and resultant food insecurity status, increasing unemployment, large-scale displacement of women labor from the farms etc are the principal factors instrumental in floating this project.
SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM
The very purpose of this program is to show the way forward for transformation of an agricultural hotspot of the country into a happy spot. The program envisages the strive for enabling Livelihood improve-ment; Agriculture (small and marginal diverse farming) development; and ensuring Food Security in four pover-ty ridden villages of Wayanad district.
THE THREE-PRONG OBJECTIVES INCLUDE:
(i) Enhancing the ecological foundations essential for sustainable agriculture (ii) Enhancing productivity and reducing the cost of production through higher factor productivity (iii) Examining opportunities for agro-processing and value addition to the bio-resources like medicinal plants, roots, tubers and legumes, spices like black pepper and ginger, and medicinal and aromatic rice