May 28, 2025
Njattadi Festival /Climate Smart Village Project
Why in News ?. Kerala’s Agriculture Minister P. Prasad has recently inaugurated the Njattadi Festival, a sapling festival organized by the Thiruvarppu Grama Panchayat in Kottayam district. The event, also referred to as a planting festival, celebrates agricultural innovation and community participation in farming, with a focus on modern techniques like drone-assisted seed sowing.
Relevance : Pre & Mains
Prelims: Njattadi Festival /Climate Smart Village project
Mains : GS 3 ( Science & tech)
About Njattadi Festival:
The Njattadi Festival, also known as the sapling or planting festival, is an agricultural celebration organized by the Thiruvarppu Grama Panchayat in Kottayam, Kerala.
Key Features of the Njattadi Festival:
Focus on Drone-Assisted Farming:
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- The festival showcases the use of drones for sowing paddy seeds, a modern technique trialed successfully in Thiruvarppu’s paddy fields in previous years.
- In 2025, drone sowing was expanded to approximately 170 hectares, including the 70-hectare Morkad paddy field in Chengalam village and other fields in the panchayat’s 14th ward.
Benefits of Drone Technology:
- Reduces seed usage to 35 kg per acre compared to 50 kg in traditional methods.
- Minimizes soil disturbance, leading to healthier crops and higher yields.
- Enhances efficiency and promotes sustainable farming.
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- The initiative is supported by a Rs 25 lakh allocation from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Climate-Smart Agriculture:
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- The festival is part of the Climate Smart Village project led by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kottayam, aimed at addressing local challenges like flooding, which is common in low-lying Thiruvarppu.
- It promotes eco-friendly practices to make agriculture resilient to climate change, aligning with Kerala’s broader agricultural modernization goals.
| The Climate-Smart Village (CSV) project is an initiative led by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) to promote sustainable agricultural practices in response to climate change. Launched in 2011, it aims to enhance food security, build resilience to climate impacts, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through participatory, context-specific approaches. Below is a brief overview:
Key Objectives Increase Agricultural Productivity: Promote sustainable farming practices to improve crop yields and income. Enhance Resilience: Help farmers adapt to climate variability, such as droughts, floods, and temperature changes. Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Implement practices that lower emissions from agriculture, like agroforestry and efficient resource use. |
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