Mangaluru: In order to find a solution to the issue of shortage of skilled labourers to harvest crops and spray pesticides to the arecanut tree, the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Ltd (CAMPCO) has decided to train youth to climb arecanut tree from the month of November and issue smart cards to them. A total of five experts in climbing arecanut tree were already identified by the Campco, who would train the youth for five days.
Campco has already convened a meeting in this regard in the presence of Akhila Bharata Arecanut Growers’ Association President Manchi Srinivas Achar, Horticulture Department Assistant Director H R Nayak, Editor of `Adike Patrike` Sripadre among others. Campco expects at least 35 youth during the training programme and those keen on receiving training would also receive stipends for five days. The trainers also will be paid by the Campco. Meanwhile, Campco is planning to issue smart cards to the youth, who receive training. This smart card would comprise the complete address of the cardholder, his blood group and a photo. Campco is also planning to give insurance benefits to the cardholders. After the training of five days, Campco would conduct followup on these card holders to address their problems, if any.
The idea of training the youth here first cropped up after observing a training camp in Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district recently. The representatives from Campco also had been to the training programme, where they decided to hold the same in Dakshina Kannada district too. The intention of the programme is to prepare expert arecanut tree climbers so as to address the problems of shortage of labourers.
UAV is time-consuming and not got success
There is an acute shortage of skilled labourers for harvesting and spraying pesticides in undivided Dakshina Kannada district. Though the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Vittal and students of some engineering colleges have introduced some Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to spray pesticides, the farmers are not able to invest on it. Over that, such UAV is time-consuming and has not achieved much success. Hence, Campco now prefers to give training to the youth through experts in tree climbing.
Training would be organised in other taluks too
Campco Vice President Shankaranarayana Bhat Khandige told Newskarntaka that it was an attempt to find a solution to the shortage of skilled labourers. “As arecanut tree climbers are in limited number, most of the growers did not spray pesticides this year. Hence, around 60 percent of the crop is lost due to the fruit rot disease of arecanut. If a farmer is self-sufficient to climb arecanut tree and spray pesticides on his own, there would not be a question of crop loss. If there is a good response, we will organise such training programmes in other places too, where most of the farmers are engaged in arecanut cultivation”, he said.
Interested candidates between the age group of 18 to 35 can contact Campco for the training. Free food and accommodation will be given to the youth. Though Campco has decided to disburse stipend also, the amount is yet to be fixed. For more details contact: 09946406321, 08277085489.
