In the major development in India, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated a Golden Jubilee Nutrition Garden at Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University Palampur built under a Rs 19 crore environment sustainability plan. A press release by the state government stated that this environmental sustainability plan concept of Centre of Advanced Agricultural Science & Technology (CAAST)- National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) entitled ‘Protected Agriculture and Natural Farming’ aims to motivate the people to adopt gardening in a systematic manner on a small piece of land.
A press report released by the state government said that this environmental sustainability plan concept of Centre of Advanced Agricultural Science & Technology (CAAST)- National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) called ‘Protected Agriculture and Natural Farming’ intends to encourage the people to adopt gardening systematically on a small piece of land. The Chief Minister commented that these gardens would assure access to a healthy diet and sufficient macro and micronutrients to the people at their doorsteps. These gardens would also support in strengthening food safety and develop revenue generation and livelihood. These gardens would also represent a significant role in environmental sustainability by protecting the natural resources of the area.
Jai Ram Thakur said that this concept of a nutritional garden would also ensure the involvement of students in environmental sustainability by making them technically aware of various fruits and medicinal plants. He said that this garden would cover an area of 3250 square meters and include various food species as well as medicinal and aromatic plants. “In the first phase 21 plants each of apple, peach, plum, apricot, pomegranate and persimmon have been proposed to the planted in this winter season and later planting of other fruit species as well as medicinal aromatic plants would be planted as per their planting season,” he added.
