Honorable Tamil Nadu Minister for Environment and Climate Change Mr. Meyyanathan Siva V, applauded the Cauvery Calling Movement for enabling the plantation of 1 crore tree saplings on farmers’ lands last year in Tamil Nadu.

The minister was speaking at the grand seminar jointly organised by Cauvery Calling Movement and Indian Aromatic Crops Research Institute (ICAR – IISR) on the cultivation of aromatic crops in the plains in Pudukkottai, today (July 16th). More than 2000 farmers turned up at the event.

“It is a pleasure that the Cauvery Calling Movement has organized this event in the birthplace of Maram Thangasamy, who dedicated his entire life on tree cultivation. It is a common belief that aromatic crops like pepper and nutmeg grow only in hilly areas like Ooty, Kodaikanal and Yercaud. But the farmers of Pudukkottai district where the temperature is high are cultivating pepper in the plains and making good profit from it.”

“Only you as farmers can save nature and the environment. The issue of global warming is seen as a major threat worldwide. Arboriculture is one of the most important ways to prevent it. In that manner, you farmers act as front-line workers in the battle against global warming. The Government of Tamil Nadu is ready to help you,” said the Minister.

“As per the request of Tamizhmaaran, Co-ordinator of the Cauvery Calling Movement, I will definitely take appropriate measures in consultation with the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to remove the difficulties faced by the farmers in growing and cutting sandalwood trees. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Cauvery Calling Movement which planted one crore trees last year to increase the green cover of Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government has set a target of planting 10 crore saplings this year,” he ended.

The Tamil Nadu Field Coordinator of the Cauvery Calling Movement Mr. Thamizhmaaran said, “Tree-based farming system is the best solution to increase the income of the farmers along with the environment. Farmers who switch to tree based agriculture can reap profits of lakhs and crores while harvesting it. On the other hand, we are also introducing new ways of ensuring a continuous stream of income for the farmers from the time they start planting trees, instead of waiting till the harvest time.”

“In particular, we have been providing training for the last 6 years on pepper cultivation on trees in the plains. Countless farmers who participated in this training are now earning income by cultivating pepper. Not only pepper but also aromatic crops such as Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Coffee, Allspice and Ginger can be grown as intercrops between trees and farmers can earn regular income.”

He added, “We have organized this training so that other farmers can learn those methods from successful farmers. Apart from this, income can be generated in many ways such as growing vegetables, turmeric, banana, small grains, and animal husbandry in a tree-based farming system.”

Agricultural experts, scientists and pioneer farmers of aromatic crops in the plains from the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka participated in this seminar and shared their advice.

In particular, scientists from the Indian Aromatic Crops Research Institute (ICAR – IISR) Dr. Kandiyannan and Dr. Muhammed Faisal, nutmeg farmer from Thrissur, Mrs Shobna Sibi Kallingal, beekeeping trainer from Madurai, Mrs Josephine Mary, the owner and farmer of the farm in which the seminar was held Thiru Senthamizh Selvan, spoke on various topics in the seminar.