Divineguma to spur fruit and veggie cultivation

by Surekha GALAGODA

Massive development in vegetable, fruit, coconut and inter crop cultivation, as well as livestock, fisheries and cottage sectors are envisaged under the first round of the Divineguma project implemented throughout the country. The Divineguma project is funded by the Sri Lankan government.

In America too people have started home gardening as a solution to the recession and are continuing with it during the recovery as food prices remain high and interest in safe, fresh local food grows.

One million domestic economic units will be launched under the Divineguma program countrywide with the objective of increasing nutrition and income levels of families. Vegetable and fruit production will be increased almost by 25 percent under this program.

Forty-three million US households planned to grow at least some of their food in 2009, a 19 percent increase from the estimated 36 m who started home gardening the year before, said the National Gardening Association citing the most recent figures available.

Spending on food gardening including growing vegetables, fruit trees, berries and herbs increased 26 percent in one year to $ three b in 2009 and stayed at that level last year. It is a perfect storm for food gardening, the downturn coincided with growing interest nationwide in eating locally produced food.

A spokesman for the Home Gardening Association said that they expect the trend to continue with the US Department of Agriculture switch from a food pyramid representing the nutritional guidelines to a plate encouraging people to eat more fruits and vegetables and people spending more time at home either because they are unemployed or avoiding expensive vacations.

Seed suppliers said that sales of vegetable seeds and starter plants have jumped substantially in the past several years with a 30 percent growth in 2009,15-20 percent over the past year.

The recent rise in gas and produce prices have prompted more people to try to save money by growing their own food.

Most people who have taken to home gardening do it very economically by using the minimum of equipment which saves them a lot of money. As most gardeners said it is not only the saving but the fun of harvesting your own vegetables is also one of the reasons that they don't intend to give up gardening.

Most classes on gardening are filled to capacity as more and more people are interested in gardening while for some it has opened a new career path.

The Gamaneguma program has increased production and will help increase the consumption level of families.

Currently the per capita annual consumption of vegetables is 49 kilograms which is around 134 grams a day. The Divineguma, expects to raise the daily consumption level to 175 grams.

The total value of annual vegetable production which will accrue is estimated at Rs. 15 billion, said a spokesman.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa said vegetable seeds and fertiliser have already been supplied to a major part of domestic economic units. The total number of vegetable seed and fertiliser kits distributed throughout the country by June 10 amounted to 987,416.

Two million coconut seedlings are to be distributed this year. Plans are afoot to distribute 200,000 chicks, 5,000 (cattle) calves, and 5,000 (goat) calves.

Nurseries consisting of 20,000 plots with protective netting are to be set up.

There is growing interest among people to grow their own vegetables and fruits to ensure that no pesticides are used.

Educational programs on television as well as newspapers on convenient cultivation utilising small plots of land or pots have awakened people to grow their vegetables and save money and utilise leisure time productively.

The minister said a large number of projects costing Rs. 130 million will be implemented through 14 sectors to develop the fisheries industry this year.

The Divineguma project is a great success because it is the first national development project involving a majority of people in the country, said the minister.