Agroforestry is not alien to Kerala: P K Kesavan

Thrissur: Principal chief conservator of forests and chief of state forest force P.K. Kesavan IFS wants an agroforestry policy for the state also. Inaugurating a two-day stakeholders' workshop on operational guidelines for implementation of national agroforestry policy at College of Forestry  here, he said it do not address the state's problems.

Agroforestry is not alien to Kerala. Growing trees and shrubs in homesteads is an age-old practice, which provided food, fuel, timber and income. Departure from this system triggered a series of problems - economic as well as ecological. Now, we are looking for ways to reinvent our old system and sustain it. I wish the stakeholders will put their brains together and come up with viable guidelines," he said.

KAU vice-chancellor Dr R. Chandrababu in his presidential address said creating greenery was a priority in developed countries. "Rockefeller Foundation is funding green city projects in the USA. Singapore is promoting urban greenery in a big way," he said.  "Edible greenery and therapeutic greenery projects are the order of the day in many advanced metros. We have to think along these lines," he said.