Rourkela: Vegetable farming is changing the living conditions of the tribal farmers in Sundargarh district. Taking up vegetable cultivation on the district’s arid and inhospitable patches of land, what the tribal farmers are doing is nothing short of wonders as they have become the source of inspiration for many.
Vegetable farming is being done under WADI programme on over 3,000 acres of land with help from the district mineral fund (DMF) from the year 2020. A total of 1,718 farmers have been associated with this initiative.
Over 500 acre land has been selected in the mining-affected blocks of Kutra, Koira, Lahunipara, Rajgangpur, Hemgiri and Kuanrmunda. Fruit trees like mango, lemon, lichi, blackberry and cashew have been planted on this land.
Seeds, fertilizer and solar-operated irrigation equipment have been provided to them along with facilities of cold storage and market to sell their products. Besides, vegetables like pointed gourd, long beans, chili and different leafy vegetables are cultivated by them and sold under the banner of ‘Mo Badi’.
PNN
