Trichy: The 'Food Forest Cultivation and South Indian Fruits Festival,' organized by Sadhguru's Save Soil–Cauvery Calling movement, took place on the SRM University campus in Trichy on Sunday. Scientists and farmers at the conference underscored that food forest cultivation and tree-based agriculture are highly effective solutions for boosting farmer incomes and public health.
Massive Participation
Around 6,000 people, predominantly farmers, attended the event. Tamilmaran, coordinator of Cauvery Calling, noted that awareness about tree-based agriculture has increased through the movement, leading to a rise in demand for saplings from their nurseries. “This model improves soil fertility, water retention, river health, and farmer incomes,” he said.
Expert Insights
R Selvarajan, director of the National Research Centre for Banana, pointed out that excessive use of chemical fertilizers has degraded soil health and reduced productivity, making tree-based agriculture essential. He encouraged farmers to boost incomes through banana value-added products. T N Balamohan, former dean of Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam, spoke on food forests within coconut plantations, stating that they provide farmers with additional and reliable income.
Scientists from four agricultural research institutions, including the ICAR–National Institute of Horticultural Research, offered technical guidance on cultivation, market opportunities, and management of mango, jackfruit, and avocado. Experts from NIFTEM, Thanjavur, shared technologies for value addition and marketing of fruit products.
Notable Presence
Padma Shri awardee Kaleem Ullah Khan, known as India's 'Mango Man' for growing 300 mango varieties on a single tree, presented his success strategies. The exhibition displayed more than 60 banana varieties and over 100 varieties each of mango and jackfruit. Saplings of mango, jackfruit, avocado, apple, and other fruit trees were made available at subsidised prices.
