Importance of kitchen/nutrition gardening stressed
Source: The Sangai Express / Laishram Shamungou

Imphal, April 12 2020: There is a rising need for every household to develop nutrition gardening to sustain life amidst fight against the dreaded novel coronavirus outbreak, said experts.

During World War I & II, countries like United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany had developed 'victory garden/war garden/food garden' to ensure stable supply of food to the people and the soldiers.

Importance of kitchen/nutrition gardening stressed

As novel coronavirus disease - COVID-19 has no known cure with social distancing and personal hygiene as the only way to avoid it, people should develop nutrition garden like the 'victory garden' to survive the impact of the virus, said ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) scientist Dr Ningombam Arti.

Lockdown due to coronavirus has thrown life out of gear all over the world.

With the number of cases rising in India, the lockdown may continue for months to contain the outbreak.

Supply of essential commodities and food will be hit to the maximum if the lockdown continues.

The nutrition garden may become a very successful tool to survive the virus and the lockdown, she said encouraging people to plant vegetables in their kitchen gardens and empty plots.

Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Deputy Director, Dr T Brajakumar also backed Dr Arti's proposal and said that with changing climate and scanty rainfall, agriculture produces are falling.

With the virus now forcing Governments to lockdown States and seal borders, agriculture sector may be affected.

At such time, nutrition garden may be a good and sustainable alternative for people to get sustainable food, he said.

Nutrition garden requires little water as compared to normal and large scale agricultural practices which depend on rainfall and availability of irrigation water.

Nutrition garden is easy to manage and viable solution to get healthy food year round, he said appealing people to adopt it (nutrition garden) as a 'culture' .

Talking about the benefits of nutrition garden, Inspector General of Police, Clay Khongsai said his official residence has a small garden growing coriander, winter-leek, potato, tomato, cabbage, garden mint etc.

"We buy very little from outside during the lockdown for food.

We feel a sense of safety and happiness eating the organic produces of our garden, as we do not use chemicals," said Clay Khongsai adding his family is very much involved with the garden.

Education (S) Director Th Kirankumar, said that about 300 schools have adopted nutrition garden with assistance of his department.

The produces of the gardens are being used in preparing mid-day meal, he said adding there is also a plan to introduce nutrition gardening at another 300 schools.

Poultry and fish farming will also be introduced in schools/institutes which have the required facilities, he added.

(This article is written and published in connection with the State Level Climate Change Media Fellowship of the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change) .