Tribal empowerment by usage of improved coconut elite seedlings and coconut climbing devices

Coconut palm is an important horticultural crop and state fruit of Goa state contributing Rs 225 crores to the state economy. It is a multi-purpose palm and the fruit is used extensively in Goan recipes.

Good seedlings from elite mother palms form the basis for obtaining high productivity of coconut garden. Management of coconut palm by timely harvest and plant protection operations demands manual climbing which requires skil. Manual climbing is a poses occupational hazard for farm workers of coconut gardens. Hence, padeli the person (climbing coconut) is a vanishing occupation making the harvest of coconut a challenging job.

Hence under the Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) formerly known as Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) an attempt was made to train tribal people to popularise the improved planting material and simple coconut climbing devices and to provide the seedlings and 15 devices free of cost. The device eases the coconut climbing operation reduces drudgery and generates employment.

On 01.06.2021 at ICAR CCARI Old Goa, the demonstration of the seedlings of Benaulim variety of tall coconut and distribution was done to 15 persons belonging to Schedule Tribe community through village level volunteer Ms Rina Dsouza of Divar island.  

A total of 15 beneficiaries belonging to Divar village island of Tiswadi taluk were provided the coconut climbing devices and coconut seedlings during the day. With the help of climbing devices, the livelihoods of tribal people of the villages receive a boost. Using the devices, the farmers reduce their drudgery and also harvest coconuts at regular intervals, carry out timely intercultural operations to improve the productivity of coconut palm. The activity also brings confidence among the farmers in using device and neighbouring farmers also get motivated to use the device.

Resource person Dr V Arunachalam Principal Scientist (Horticulture) ICAR CCARI Old Goa