Category Archives: Nature

Meet Mathachan KJ, a farmer who grows pearls in his farm in Kerala

This farmer from Kasargod has been doing it for the past 22 years

Mathachan KJ   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Mathachan KJ spends most of his time on his farm in Kasargod, Kerala. There, he tends to over 1,00,000 mussels that grow in seven ponds. “They are not edible and are grown specifically to cultivate pearls. This batch is now nine months old. It will take another nine more months for the harvest,” explains the 65-year-old.

Mathachan set up his pearl farm 22 years ago after resigning from his work as a professor in Saudi Arabia. “In 1982, I got an opportunity to take up a course on freshwater pearl cultivation from the Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre, China. I loved it and decided to resign my job and do it full time in 1999.”

He initially cleared the rubber plantation with his 35 cents to dig the first pond to grow them. “It is large and can hold 20 lakh litres of water. The other six are comparatively smaller and are in different locations on my six acres of land. I also grow areca nut, vanilla and coconut trees in the plot.” Mathachan sources the fresh mussels from the river Kaveri, near his home. “I use the variety called Lamellidens marginalis that is abundant in the Western Ghats. Both the shells and the pearls have a golden tone to it,” he explains.

The mussels are immersed in the pond in suspended baskets, and feed on plankton found in the water. “It is important to maintain the pH of the water between seven and nine for optimum growth,” says Mathachan. The mussels dwell in the ponds for a month before they are implanted with acrylic nuclei, which later develop into pearls. “I use two nuclei for a mussel which gives me two pearls during harvest.”

It takes 18 months for the pearls to mature by forming numerous ‘nacre layers’ around the nucleus. “It is formed by a secretion of the mussels. There will be 540 layers formed when I harvest them.” The extraction is done manually, and Mathachan has six people to help him in the process. The shells are separated carefully to get the pearls. After being cleaned with water, the pearls are then sent to gemologists for certification. “They are then exported to Australia. The market for freshwater pearls is better abroad,” he says.

Mathachan has taken more than 1,000 workshops on freshwater farming so far across India. “Anyone can do it with a bit of patience and training. It feels good to see a growing interest. After the pandemic, I learnt to take classes online.” Other than mussels, he also grows fish in the pond. “It gives me an added income and also fresh fish for the family. Most of my weekends are spent fishing with my friends on my farm,” he concludes.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life &Style / by Susan Joe Philip / February 02nd, 2021

Ardent gardener from Kochi rakes in lakhs via YouTube

Annie Yujin Stephen never thought that her passion for gardening and the meticulous manner of pictorially chronicling them would gain her worldwide fame.

Annie Yujin Stephen

 When you devote your time and effort to create something beautiful, you aim to keep it for eternity. This is what propelled Annie Yujin Stephen to start clicking photos of the plants growing in her garden.

However, she never thought that her passion for gardening and the meticulous manner of pictorially chronicling them would gain her worldwide fame. Annie is today a YouTube star and hosts two channels. While one exclusively caters to giving farming information, the other deals with how to live a happy life.

“Actually, it was my brother who asked me to upload the photos on YouTube. The idea was to save them for a long time since even if we save the pictures on our computers or hard disks, there are chances of them getting deleted or corrupted,” said Annie. So, she uploaded her photographs on YouTube.

“It didn’t have any background score or commentary. However, it was well-received and one of the viewers suggested uploading videos. So, I thought why not,” said Annie. She launched her YouTube channel Krishi Lokam in 2012. “I was a bit apprehensive. However, the views and the comments that the videos received increased my confidence,” she said.

With over 3 lakh subscribers and over 2 crore views, Annie now earns Rs 1 lakh a month from the channel! “It helped to be a passionate gardener. I didn’t have to act in front of the camera,” she said, According to her, in the first few videos, she just showcased her garden. “However, later on, I began giving voice-overs. This enabled me to emerge from being a very shy person to a confident one,” said Annie.

A native of Angamaly, Annie at present resides in Kochi and has been uploading videos since 2015. “The comments that I receive have given me the confidence to continue posting videos based on queries that I receive in the comments box,” she said.

Annie also provides farming tips by making videos of the entire cultivation process. “For example, if a viewer wants to know the right time and process of cultivating turmeric, I shoot the same at my farm. Right from telling the time, type of seedlings to be chosen, preparation of beds, fertilisers to be used to harvesting, the videos showcase everything,” she said. Annie and her husband own a one-acre plot in Angamaly.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Anu Kurivilla / Express News Service / August 28th, 2019

Kerala’s first woman hunter ‘Shikkari Kuttiyamma’ passes away

Kuttiyamma took to hunting after shooting a bison in order to save her brother’s life

[File] Kuttiyamma was also known as ‘Shikkari Kuttiyamma’ | Rijo Joseph

Kerala’s first woman hunter Kuttiyamma, 87, is no more. ‘Shikkari Kuttiyamma’, whose real name was Thresya Thomas, had shot dead hundreds of wild animals.

Incidentally, she had taken up the gun to hunt in order to save the life of her brother. Kuttiyamma had joined a convent in Raichur, Karnataka to be ordained as a nun when a bison attacked her brother Pappachan in Kerala, leaving him gravely injured. Though he was admitted to a hospital, the family could not pay the bills. However, the hospital authorities said that instead of money, meat of wild animals would suffice as payment.

Kuttiyamma rushed to Kerala and ventured into the forest along with her younger brother Tomy to hunt. Deep in the woods, they saw a bison which Kuttiyamma felled with a single shot. The bison weighed 800kg, but was cut into pieces and given to the hospital authorities. The saga of Kuttiyamma the hunter was thus born.

Hailing from Edamattom in Pala, Kuttiyamma discontinued her studies due to poverty in 1958. She settled in Marayur along with her father Thomman and brothers Vakkachan and Pappachan in 1963. Later, they also bought 20 acres of land at Churulippetty in Chinnar. Kuttiyamma later married Thomas, who belonged to Sri Lanka. He was a friend of her brothers. From then on, the couple went on hunting trips together.

People from other places heard that Kuttiyamma would protect them from wild elephants in Chinnar forest and began settling there. Soon, Churulippetty village came into being with 42 families in 82 acres.

However, the hunting of wild animals came to the notice of the government and a decision was taken to evict Kuttiyamma and the other villagers. At that time, Kuttiyamma owned 17 acres of land. The government took over her land in 1993 promising monetary compensation. However, an error in the gazette notification led to delay in payment and no villager left the dwellings.

Kuttiyamma decided to fight a legal battle. She approached the High Court in 2005 pointing out that no compensation was paid. In January 2006, the court ordered payment of Rs 45 lakh including interest to Kuttiyamma. Still, she received only Rs 29 lakh. Kuttiyamma moved the court again and in 2013, she received the full amount.

Subsequently, the first woman hunter left the forest and shifted to Anakkallu in Kanjirappally. She distributed her property to her son and his children. Advancing age did not deter Kuttiyamma from fighting for her causes as she took up social work. She often visited her Churulippetty, the village she had helped set up, and offered service to its residents.

The funeral prayers for Kuttiyamma would take place at her house in Kappad and the burial at St Antony’s church cemetery, Anakkallu. Her husband Thomas Chacko had died earlier. Kuttiyamma is survived by son V.T. Joseph (Babu) of Matha Organic and daughter-in-law Sherly, belonging to Mathathipparambil family, Marayur.

source: http://www.theweek.in / The Week / Home> News> India / via OnManorama / August 20th, 2019

In 4.5 acres, she nurtures a dense forest

Devaki Amma, who was presented the Nari Shakti Puraskar recently, began planting trees 35 years ago

President Ram Nath Kovind after presenting her the Nari Shakti Puraskar on March 8, 2019, wrote this on one of his social media accounts, “Her contribution towards the environment has been a driving force of change and has raised awareness and consciousness of people.”

At the age of 85, G. Devaki Amma, a native of Puthiyavila in Kandalloor panchayat, near Kayamkulam, is showing the way to safeguard biodiversity and secure our future. She has transformed 4.5 acres of her ancestral property into a thriving forest.

Close to the backwaters, Kollakal Thapovanam, which is intrinsically green, is an ecosystem teeming with life, a fruit of nearly four decades of relentless planting and nurturing by this nature lover.

3,000 trees

At a time when forests are fast disappearing, Devaki Amma’s forest has around 3,000 trees, including over 1,000 trees of common, rare, endangered and biologically important species that support a wide variety of organisms. Huge trees and chirping of birds on them make it a special place in the coastal district.

Devaki Amma says she turned to planting spree following a road accident. “I used to enthusiastically participate in paddy cultivation. But, following the accident I was bedridden for almost three years and was forced to abandon rice cultivation. But it led to something more important. Helped by the family members, I started planting saplings 35 years ago. I never thought at that time the place would become a forest,” she says.

Today, Krishnanal, musk trees, star trees, and mahogany, among others, grow in the sandy soil in natural environment. It is also home to a wide variety of medicinal plants, fruit-bearing trees and tuber crops. The forest has ponds and different species of birds like Paradise Flycatcher and Emerald Doves visit the place.

Family’s backing

Devaki Amma’s age and physical challenges have not deterred her from planting new saplings and taking care of the forest. “I get enormous support from my children, grandchildren and their children in conserving the forest.

They contribute in a big way and want to protect the forest in the best way possible,” she says.

Her daughter D. Thankamoney, former head of Environmental Engineering Division, College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, says planting trees is the best way to reduce carbon footprint and fight climate change. “Our mother started planting trees when nature conservation was yet to gain momentum. We are committed to continuing her legacy,” she says.

The place receives a lot of people, including students and researchers, regularly.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Sam Paul A / Kayamkuam (Alappuzha) – May 04th, 2019

A windfall for mussel farmers of Valiyaparamba

It is harvesting time for aquaculture farmers doing raft cultures of green mussels in the Valiyaparamba backwaters, and they are happy that the yield this year is better than that of last two or three years.

The backwaters divide the Valiyaparamba strip and small islands and mainland, in Kannur and Kasaragod districts including Thrikkarippur and Padanna.

Mussel harvest

Farmers and their helpers start mussel harvest in April-May, by removing the mussel ropes suspended from rafts anchored to the backwaters.

They collect the mussel ropes, bring them to land in canoes, and segregate good mussels (with closed shells) and bad mussels (with open shells) before they are handed over to buyers who sell them to local vendors or those in neighbouring places.

“There are 1,949 green mussel cultivation units in the backwaters with each unit having 100 ropes,” said I.P. Athira, mussel culture district project coordinator under the Fisheries Department in the district.

They included 1,192 units under the Blue Revolution (BR) scheme for new farmers, and 757 units under the Janakeeya Matsyakrishi continuing scheme for existing mussel farmers.

Whereas individuals under the BR scheme could culture one unit each with a government subsidy of 40% of the cost (estimated at ₹15,000), self-help groups could cultivate up to four units with the same subsidy, she said.

Continuing farmers would get 20% of the operations cost, she added.

Increased production

While the harvest is still incomplete, initial yields show increased production.

Twelve tonnes of mussels was harvested in Padanna panchayat and eight tonnes was harvested in Thrikkarippur panchayat.

Valiyaparamba panchayat, having the highest number of mussel farmers, has so far harvested 10 tonnes, according to the Fisheries Department.

In November

The season of mussel culture starts in November when salinity is high in the backwaters.

“Yield this year is good and we are fetching ₹6,000-7,000 per sack containing 75-80 kg of mussels,” said P.V. Preetha, mussel culture farmer and promoter, who is tasked with recruiting more people into mussel farming.

Seeds were locally available this season, though some farmers had bought outside seeds which reached harvest stage early, she said.

There was no difficulty in marketing the product, she added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States > Kerala / by Mohamed Nazeer & Special Correspondent / April 29th, 2019

It’s ‘baiga’ harvest season for Neendakara fishermen


Long journey: Baiga, an export-oriented sea snail species, at a processing unit in Kollam. 

The sea snail, a delicacy in Japan, Taiwan, and China, is claimed to be endemic to Kollam

Over 250 boats from Neendakara are currently busy harvesting ‘baiga’ and it will take you some time to figure out that the word fishers use so casually is the Japanese for sea snail.

An export-oriented gastropod mollusc, it is endemic to Kollam with a two-month season ending in May. “It’s a species of sea snail abundant in Neendakara. We cannot say it’s totally endemic as its sporadic presence is seen in other places too. But Neendakara is the only place where it’s available in huge volumes,” says Fisheries Deputy Director H. Salim.

The fishers say they take daily trips, though not too far from the coast considering the current weather conditions. “These two months we focus on baiga and since it has to be brought live to the shore, we take daily trips. Before taking it to the processing plant, we keep it in fresh seawater for around five hours to clean the flesh. This species has no local market, so the entire catch goes straight to processing plants. In Kerala , Neendakara is the only region where you get this variety,” they say.

Priced up to ₹130, the fisherfolk consider it a good option just before trawling ban starts.

1,000 tonnes

According to exporters, Japan, Taiwan, and China are the main markets of the product where it is used in many traditional delicacies. “It’s a seasonal market operating hardly two months a year and an average of 1,000 tonnes is exported each time. In Kerala, all the export units get the product from Neendakara. Since it has to be cleaned live, it’s not possible to take it to faraway places for processing. It’s usually exported as a raw product without any value addition,” says Peter Austin of Capithan Exporting Company. He adds that Pakistan is a major competitor in the field as the country has a larger harvest window. “Karachi-based exporters ship the product for over six months.”

Mr. Salim says the Fisheries Department is trying for a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the species. “Currently, the yellow clam (Paphia malabarica) from Ashtamudi Lake is the only product from India to get that recognition. In the case of baiga, it is a very short harvest and the rest of the year we leave the species to breed, which is a very sustainable practice. So we are really hopeful of getting the certification,” he adds.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kerala / by Navamy Sudhish / Kollam – April 20th, 2019

Bridging the past and the present


KV Seshadrinatha Sastrigal   | Photo Credit:  Special arrangementt

The multifaceted KV Seshadrinatha Sastrigal believes that learning of Sanskrit is important to understand the crux of the Vedas, Ayurveda and the best of Indian philosophy and culture

KV Seshadrinatha Sastrigal, 85, is a traditionalist, for whom tradition refers to customs and ceremonials by means of which the past speaks to the present. Traditions, for this scholar, relate allegiance to authority, storing up as they do the sedimented wisdom of earlier generations. But what makes Sastrigal different from a whole clutch of scholars in Sanskirt, Vedas and Sastras is his contemporary and radical perspective.

Sastrigal understands that Sanskrit, the language through which, for thousands of years, ancient traditions and knowledge were passed on from generation to generation, has been marginalised, diluted and reduced to a pitiable state. Yet, he refuses to believe that the language can be erased.

In an effort to establish, develop, propagate and bring out the need for retention of Indian culture through the ancient texts, he formed a Trust, Veda Samrakshana Nyasa, in 1984, while he was in Chennai. Now, he has formed a new team for developing this idea in Kerala. Sasthrigal has established a Veda Padasala in Kalady, Ernakulam district, where around 24 students are studying Yajur Veda and Sanskrit. In addition, many others visit him to seek wisdom in this ancient language and the texts of knowledge. Sastrigal was honoured with the ‘Mahamahopadhyaya’ title by the Government of India, the first scholar to receive this title after Independence.

Macaulay, whom we call the father of our modern Indian education system, in his historical speech in the British Parliament, clearly indicated that the ancient system of Indian education needed to be dismantled. This, he considered, was the backbone of the country, its spiritual and cultural heritage. And he achieved the goal of eliminating Sanskrit from being an essential part of the Indian education system.

“That is history. So many foreign powers came to our land and brought with them their languages. But Sanskrit was not attacked. When the Muslim rulers came to India, Sanskrit was allowed to flourish, the beliefs were not touched. But everything changed when the British came. English was injected into every Indian brain; Sanskrit was pushed out of our thinking, our intellect. Along with the language they uprooted out culture and threw it away,” says Sastrigal, a renowned Vedic, Sanskrit and Ayurveda scholar and former Principal of Madras Sanskrit College.

Sastrigal refuses to believe that Sanskrit is a ‘dead language’. “Unfortunately, many consider it to be a Hindu language and, therefore, not inclusive. Ninety-five per cent of Sanskrit literature has nothing to do with religion. You cannot kill this language, it is alive, the Vedas too.”

Learning of Sanskrit

There was a time in the past, says Sastrigal, when everyone, irrespective of caste and religion, studied Sanskrit. “Even girls studied the subject; I can point out so many instances recorded in our texts about this. Plays were written in Sanskrit and were they only for the Brahmins? No, because if there were no people to understand and appreciate these plays, they would not have been written and staged.”

Sastrigal also exhorts us to look at what happened towards the end of British rule and post-Independence in our country. The truth is that British scholars started learning Sanskrit, translated the ancient scriptures and documents into English even while they started a propaganda claiming that Sanskrit was a dying language. “At the same time through efforts of scholars like Max Mueller, Sanskrit was being introduced in almost all universities in Europe.”

Born in Kuzhalmandam, Palakkad, on June 20, 1934, Sasthrigal was a Vedic student at Nurani Vedasastra Patasala from 1944-1954. “Like so many landowning communities, my family was also forced to migrate following the enforcement of the land reforms act that abolished the tenancy system. We moved to Madras [Chennai] where I continued my studies and where I still live.” Sastrigal completed his graduation (Sahitya Shiromani) in 1959, winning the Presidency gold medal. He went on to complete Sahithya Vidwan course, passed the Vedanta Shiromani, Ayurveda Shiromani and Ayurveda Vidwan courses. He then did his research in Chithrameemamsa Vakyasudha under Dr V Raghavan, delving into the depths of Malsyapurana. For a while he was an Ayurveda medical practitioner, taught at the Venkitaramana Ayurveda College, Chennai, and was Principal of Madras Sanskrit College for 10 years.

“My association with Dr Raghavan opened new doors and helped changed my outlook towards these subjects. When I came first to Madras Presidency for Shiromani, he was pleasantly surprised. At that time I used to work for him at his house. He told me to join the university and begin my research. It was he who instilled in me that interest. He was a hard task master, made us work a lot but we enjoyed working. I was with him for nearly 10 years.”

Talking about his research subject, Malsyapurana, Sastrigal says that it was not just on the Puranas but more on the theory of evolution. “My only complaint is that people today ignore and discard the Vedas and Sastras even before trying to understand them. Can’t they at least listen, read and understand them before coming to a conclusion?”

A lot of scholars seek Sastrigal’s advice on Sanskrit, the Vedas, Ayurveda and even astrology, but though he swears by Ayurveda he considers astrology as a subject with no known source. “Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine. It is a general philosophy of health and wellness. It talks about proper diet, exercise, sleep, hygiene, and, of course, the use of herbal preparations. Like most traditional medicine systems, Ayurveda was developed and refined over thousands of years, through observation and experience. The term itself means the science of life. But astrology is not a truth. There is no specific mention of astrology in the Vedas, only astronomy is mentioned. For me, astrology does not exist.”

It is important to understand, says Sastrigal, though the practices of astrology and astronomy have common roots, there is an important distinction. “Astronomy is the study of the universe and its contents outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Astronomers examine the positions, motions, and properties of celestial objects. I do that. Astrology attempts to study how those positions, motions, and properties affect people and events.”

New projects

Veda Samrakshana Nyasa in Kalady has ventured into many projects with the advice and leadership of Sastrigal. A website (www.vedanyasa.com) has been created that offers information about Indian culture and traditions, the Vedas and Dharma Sasthras. Digitalisation of various ancient books and treatises on Ayurveda, astronomy, Vedas, etc., which will be made available free of cost to any user, publication of vernacular versions of these works, training and counseling sessions on lifestyle, food habits etc are some of the other projects that the organisation has on its anvil.

“Sanskrit is the greatest language in the world. And if it is taken away from the life of the masses of this country, a light would be gone. The distinctive features of a rich culture will be lost. I have very little time left. My efforts are to educate the present generation not only on the Shodhasa Samskaras (Hindu traditions) but also the Dharmasastras, which can help them mould their life free from all sorrows, pains, difficulties and given them peace of mind,” says Sastrigal.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by K. Pradeep / Kochi – April 18th, 2019

India’s newest frog evolved 60 million years ago

The starry dwarf frog, named after Wayanad’s Kurichiya tribe, is found outside protected areas

It is just 2 cm long and sports pale blue spots and brilliant orange thighs. The discovery of the starry dwarf frog, a nocturnal amphibian that lives under leaf litter on a mountaintop in Kerala’s Wayanad, has been published on March 13 in PeerJ, an international multidisciplinary journal.

It was in June 2010 that frog researcher Vijayakumar S.P. first laid his eyes on the odd-looking frog and picked it up from atop Wayanad’s Kurichiyarmala.

“I knew that it was a new species, it had many interesting morphological characters… shape and colour patterns that I haven’t seen in other Western Ghats frogs,” wrote Dr. Vijayakumar, from the Centre for Ecological Sciences at Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science, in an email to The Hindu.

Recently, Dr. Vijayakumar and his co-workers, including from the George Washington University in the U.S., studied its physical, skeletal and genetic characteristics. They also compared the frog with specimens of similar species in museum collections across the world. While scans of its skeletons showed it to be completely different from any other similar-sized frog seen in Wayanad, some of its physical characteristics (such as its triangular finger- and toe tips) closely resembled frogs in South America and Africa. Genetic studies, however, revealed a different story: its closest relatives are the Nycibatrachinae group of frogs that dwell in the streams of Western Ghats, and the Lankanectinae frogs of Sri Lanka.

The team named the new species the starry dwarf frog Astrobatrachus kurichiyana (genus Astrobatrachus after its starry spots and kurichiyana in honour of the Kurichiya tribal community who live in the area). It is not only a new species but different enough to be assigned to a new ‘subfamily’. Genetic analysis reveal that the species is at least 60 million years old.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Science / by Aathira Perinchery / Kochi – March 13th, 2019

ClimateLaunchpad: A platform to grow sustainable ideas

Present in more than 45 countries, including India from 2018, ClimateLaunchpad is part of the entrepreneurship offerings of EIT Climate-KIC,  a European knowledge and innovation community.

Thiruvananthapuram :

Providing an opportunity to budding entrepreneurs in the state, SUSTERA foundation, ATREE-CERC and Climate Studio are collaborating with ClimateLaunchpad to create a platform for green-tech innovators from Kerala.

ClimateLaunchpad is the world’s largest competition for green business ideas. Present in more than 45 countries, including India from 2018, ClimateLaunchpad is part of the entrepreneurship offerings of EIT Climate-KIC, a European knowledge and innovation community, working to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy.

Climate change needs to be tackled by innovative solutions. The programme is for those with an idea that can have a fast scalable impact to a sustainable future. “This competition encourages green ideas as solutions towards climate change. We encourage change-makers in Kerala to participate in the programme. The best idea will be made into a reality,” said Sanju Soman, Global School ambassador, UNSDSN.

The competition will focus on innovations in renewable energy, energy efficiency, food and agriculture, water, transportation and industrial technology. The opportunity will provide fast-track mentorship and resources to make the idea viable. A network of climate/clean-tech mentors and entrepreneurs will coach the participants intensively, making sure they have a quality business pitch ready.It has been launched in 13 states across India to scout clean-tech talent and help them develop their sustainable ideas into global businesses.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / March 07th, 2019

Seed festival from today

National seminar on ‘survived seeds’ also to be held

The fifth edition of the Wayanad community seed festival, a three-day programme organised by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), will be held at the foundation auditorium here on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Former Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand will inaugurate the programme at 11 a.m. on Thursday.

The programme is being organised in association with NABARD, Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Seed Care and Wayanad Tribal Development Action Council.

From all panchayats

Seeds of agricultural crops from all grama panchayats and municipalities of Wayanad district and seeds from adjacent districts such as Kannur and Kasaragod districts will be showcased at the programme. Farmers from Kolli Hills of Tamil Nadu will also attend the function with rare varieties of seeds. The farmers will get a chance to exchange their seeds to each other.

A national seminar on ‘survived seeds’ will also be organised in connection with the programme, the organisers said in a release here on Wednesday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Kalpetta – March 06th, 2019